


Queen of Mars

by Barefootnotea



Series: Fifty Shades of Awesome [1]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Cameos, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Fluff, Jeongyeon is dense, Navely FTW
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:48:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 66,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22936618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Barefootnotea/pseuds/Barefootnotea
Summary: Nayeon, loud, obnoxious, hard-working, charming, friendly and out-of-control is the world’s greatest genius billionaire philanthropist womanizer and Jeongyeon is her long-suffering, desperate bodyguard.
Relationships: Chou Tzuyu/Son Chaeyoung, Hirai Momo/Myoui Mina, Im Nayeon/Yoo Jeongyeon, Kim Dahyun/Minatozaki Sana
Series: Fifty Shades of Awesome [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714279
Comments: 128
Kudos: 996





	1. one.

CHAPTER ONE

It’s 2:32 am. It’s raining and quite chilly outside for the usually gentle May. Jeongyeon has no particular desire to go outside, get drenched, and punch someone’s nose during the process, but she knows that statistically, this is very likely once she notices the orange light on her cellphone.

She has a color code for messages from Jihyo. Jihyo is orange, Nayeon is blue. Everyone else is green.

When she sees the light casting ember shadows against the wall behind her nightstand, outlining the silhouette of her small alarm clock, she gets up and starts getting dressed.

“Navely,” Jeongyeon calls out, setting her striped pajama pants on the bed. “Play last message by Jihyo.”

The display of her phone comes to life. Navely, her personal virtual assistant, whom she definitely did not request for and is more than just annoying, comes to life and brightens the screen. She can see its overly eager face and the vaguely heart-shaped form of it, eyes and mouth and all. Navely’s voice instantly grates on Jeongyeon’s nerves.

“Certainly, my love!” Navely chimes happily. “Playing message by Jihyo open parenthesis only sane person close parenthesis. Send at 2:31pm from Signal Night Club. Seoul. Korea.” There’s a click sound, then Jihyo’s voice fills the apartment.

Jeongyeon puts on black slacks and shrugs on an immaculate, white shirt.

There’s voices, faint music and a bass line in the back. Signal Night Club, she’s sure.

Jeongyeon stares at her broad collection of black jackets and settles on … a black jacket.

“Hey, Jeong, sorry to bother you this late. I’m at Signal Night Club, as Navely has probably told you. There has been a bit too much alcohol around here and Nayeon … well. Hear for yourself.”

The tie comes last. Jeongyeon puts it around her neck as she continues listening.

There’s a rustle and then the music starts to seep through the speakers, suddenly gaining rhythm and a melody that is not watered down by ambient sounds. Both the melody and Nayeon’s voice are unmistakable.

It’s a drawn-out, shaky rendition of “I Will Always Love You”. Jeongyeon has to commend Nayeon on her range, the color of her voice, the slight vibrato and the enthusiastic rendition of the classic song, but there are few things that are more painful than a singer that is missing the right tone only just.

“I’m two people short of the customary three persons that are needed to drag her into the car and back to her house and you are her one and only emergency contact and her bodyguard, so …”

Jeongyeon has already picked up the phone and is on her way down to her car in the parking lot.

“... please come, help me pick her up.”

“End of message,” Navely announces happily. “You look very dashing in that black suit. You’d look more dashing out of it, though!” Navely winks excessively while throwing finger hearts, an open smirk now forming on its (not so) lovely face.

Jeongyeon groans and wishes for Jeongvely to come back. Jeongvely, the LaburiOS’ previous version before the update, had been green, grumpy, no-nonsense and hadn’t tried to flirt with her. She has no idea why Navely turned out like this.

It was created by the OS’ data on her, her needs and wants. Apparently.

“Thanks, I guess.”

“You are welcome!” Navely answers, way too excited for Jeongyeon’s taste. 

That bug in Navely’s OS after the last update had started to get out of control, but on the plus side, Navely’s basic functions have improved tremendously.

For example, her ability to anticipate Jeongyeon’s wishes before she can even voice them:

Jeongyeon has two cars: A Toyota Prius, her own private car, which is battery powered, green, boring and good for the environment, a car she loves more than anything else, and the Other Car.

The Other Car is called the Other Car for two reasons:

  1. It is not her beloved, boring Toyota Prius that fits into each and every parking spot whenever Jeongyeon goes grocery shopping.
  2. Jeongyeon refuses to use it’s designated denotation: the Naymobile 2000 (Mark V).



It’s black, bulletproof and stuffed with all sorts of electronic devices Jeongyeon has no use for. She doesn’t need a navigation system, because she doesn’t get lost. She doesn’t need a built-in fridge, because she likes her beverages at room temperature. She doesn’t need a 7.1 sound system, because if she needed her eardrums destroyed, she’d listen to Nayeon’s discussion with Sana about integrated circuits on bite-sized topology since 1975.

The car though, does come with a plushie hand protector made from fake blue fur around the steering wheel which is kind of nice.

And currently, Jeongyeon watches, as the Other Car, on its own, moves out of its parking space, drives down the aisles between the rows of cars stopping right at her feet. The door lifts open automatically like a wing and Jeongyeon gets in.

The temperature inside is just right, not too warm and not too cold. The chair has a comfortable temperature against her back and the scent is a distinct sea breeze. Slow jazz plays from the speakers, just as she likes it.

God, she hates this thing.

Setting Navely down into something that looks like a cupholder, the virtual assistant ( _ Your best friend, ready to chat with you in case your other friends don’t want to because of your grumpy personality, Yoo Jeongyeon! _ ) plugs into the car.

The previously green color scheme changes to a happy blue on all of the Other Car’s displays. The main display shows Navely’s face.

“Sweetie,” Navely asks. “Where do you want to go?”

“I’ll drive there myself, thank you,” Jeongyeon says. She grasps the wonderfully soft fur attached to her steering wheel. “Thanks for picking me up, though.”

“You are welcome,” Navely winks at her.

Jeongyeon can’t bring herself to be impolite to the assistant, even though it’s just a  _ thing _ , not even alive; merely a collection of ones and zeroes.

The car moves out of the parking spot and into the glittering streets of Seoul. The strength underneath the steering wheel, pulsing like an animal trying to get out of its cage and dragging Jeongyeon along, immediately strikes her. The Other Car, no doubt, is a stroke of genius in the design department of Nayeon’s company:

It’s a sleek, black sports car, vaguely based on the Maserati Alfieri concept car. It’s a nice car, Jeongyeon has no doubt, but she just doesn’t need it.

Like so many other things.

Plus, in Seoul, where you can only drive faster than 70km/h in the dark of the night, when everyone is sleeping, the Other Car is completely overpowered with its maximum speed at 370km/h.

It takes Jeongyeon twenty-three minutes to arrive at the Signal night club (Navely compliments her on that and calls her the Michael Schuhmacher of her generation), then parks and gets inside.

The dark, glowering glance she serves the bouncer at the entrance serves as her ticket inside.

It’s late (or early) but Signal is still filled with late party goers, all in different states of sobriety.

The club’s interior is comprised of a large dance floor on the ground level, presided by the DJ in the back. Jeongyeon likens Signal to a techno church, with the DJ’s large table like an altar, the dancers all worshipping in a mass of moving bodies. The light is flickering, illuminating only every tenth of a second, giving it all the feeling of a movie that has lost too many frames.

Or of a Youtube video with a really bad connection.

A long counter leads along the left wall of the room (the bar), the right side features a staircase leading upwards to several more levels filled with couches and tables, where customers can enjoy the drug of their choice. Mostly alcohol, but Jeongyeon knows sometimes other stuff is smuggled in.

However just left to the DJ’s altar is a double door, leading to the private rooms in the back.

Jihyo spots her immediately and emerges from the bar.

“Oh, thank God.”

They half hug - and bless Jihyo and her sanity being intact in all kinds of situations.

“How are Sana and Chaeyoung?”

“Quite well,” Jihyo says, as they start to move. “Sana got picked up by Dahyun and Chaeyoung by Tzuyu, so I think we are good there. But Nayeon …” She shakes her head.

“Did something happen?” Jeongyeon asks, as she follows Jihyo into the back of the club, where the private rooms are located.

Jihyo hesitates. “I’m … not sure, she hasn’t said anything. About … you know. But ... “ She takes a deep breath. “She went through three cans of pringles, around half a pound of Skittles, then downed half a bottle of Vodka, threw up and added the other half of the bottle. I stopped her from stripping, singing and trying to smooch Sana.” Jihyo hesitates once more. “I’ve rarely seen Dahyun angry, but today she was ready to stab her boss.”

Jeongyeon resists the urge to rub her face. She’s tired and Nayeon is already difficult to handle when the sun is up. But when she’s drunk, it usually takes at least three people to take care of her.

(Or  _ one Jeongyeon _ , but she chalks that up to the fact that she’s just a really, really well-trained bodyguard.)

Jihyo leads them inside with several keycards and when they enter the long corridor with doors left and right for all the private rooms, Jeongyeon can already hear her boss.

The rendition of “Wake me up before you go-go”, the seminal classic by Wham! creeps toward them, Nayeon’s voice providing the vocals:

_ “But something's bugging you _ _   
_ _ Something ain't right _ _   
_ _ My best friend told me what you did last night _ __   
_ Left me sleepin' in my bed _ _   
_ __ I was dreaming, but I should have been with you insteaaaaaad!!”

When Jeongyeon opens the room door, the only surprise would have been if her expectations hadn’t been met. But sadly, everything looks exactly like she had expected it to be:

The room is furnished with couches and tables; a big screen with music videos and text attached to the wall on the left side; the speakers are playing the desperately upbeat song, while Nayeon, standing in front of the screen, holds on to her microphone like it’s her lifeline, her eyes closed, belting the lyrics with utmost dedication.

She’s wearing a pink, glittery dress and her hair and make-up is a mess. When she sees Jeongyeon, the brightest smile splits her face, bunny teeth and all as she stumbles toward Jeongyeon. She’s heavy and warm and smells like alcohol and her perfume, Jeongyeon finds, as she looks at her, steadying her with an arm around her waist.

“What happened?”

Nayeon is way too happy to properly answer. “Are you here to sing for me? Or I could serenade you!”

Jeongyeon leans down and sniffs at her, then grimaces. “You  _ reek _ .”

“Of perfume?” Nayeon asks, batting her eyelashes.

“Reek doesn’t exactly imply a good kind of smell.”

“Then maybe you don’t like my perfume?”

“Your perfume has too much of an alcoholic base note then,” Jeongyeon answers, and when Nayeon wobbles again, both of her arms circle around her to make sure she doesn’t fall.

“Tell me I am pretty nonetheless,” Nayeon demands and Jeongyeon feels some tension roll of her shoulder to make way for a bit of sadness.

“Is this about a break up?”

“No! No! No!” Nayeon struggles to stand and Jeongyeon lets her go, hands hovering in an open circle around Nayeon’s midsection; not touching her, like she requested, but ready to catch her again, should she falter.

Jeongyeon huffs and follows the other girl to the karaoke machine. She half turns to Jihyo. “Get the car ready.”

Jihyo mouths a  _ thank you _ and hurries away.

“So … you got completely drunk just because?” Jeongyeon asks. She hesitates and suddenly fears something worse considering Nayeon’s relationship. “Did he … cheat on you?”

Nayeon huffs and rolls her eyes. “No. Of course not. He was way too nice, too friendly and too perfect to cheat on me.” She picks up one of the microphones and taps it, then turns to Jeongyeon, speaking into it. “Know any good break up songs?”

“No.” Jeongyeon reaches out and turns off the karaoke machine. “What happened?”

Nayeon huffs and turns it on again, starting to scroll through the library. As Jeongyeon reaches out once more to turn off the machine, Nayeon moves her body between her bodyguard and the beeping piece of electronic equipment. When Nayeon has chosen a song (“ [ We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together ](https://www.google.com/search?safe=off&client=firefox-b-d&q=megan+nicole+we+are+never+ever+getting+back+together&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAB2LQQrCMBAADyJ40IsvWDz2EgrWQj8j6bqssW2WbrYJfseXGr0MDMwcduejY9eu3avnPpfL6WftmLti6fZumgkHt2wpoFNC0UeIfMd5S0Y6iD1JIZOmIDF99teF2EeIAWUmKAReCSLVAP5gMqs_jB4nMKla_y8hP5UJggAAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjMkNyck5fmAhWBKFAKHRptADcQri4wCXoECAwQJw) ”), she turns around to grab her microphone. It’s gone.

She looks at Jeongyeon who holds the mic, shaking it like a bell. “Nayeon. What happened?” 

Nayeon comes closer, starting to reach for it, but the lack of her sobriety and the fact that Jeongyeon is taller dooms this venture from the get go.

“Nothing! Happened!” Nayeon huffs, trying to reach for the mic, while Jeongyeon moves away from her, holding it high above her head.

“Tell me.”

“No!”

“I have all the time in the world.”

“You are such a hater of my singing,” Nayeon says, continuing to dance around her bodyguard.

“I have heard nothing in this room that resembles music in any way!”

“Okay, rude!” She slightly elbows Jeongyeon in the ribs. It’s not much force, but it’s enough for Jeongyeon to bend forward, folding slightly and Nayeon snatches the mic away. Then she smirks at her. “I thought my bodyguard came to pick me up. What happened to her?”

Jeongyeon, caught by surprise and hating it, watches Nayeon, more sober than expected, move back toward the stage. 

“She got woken up by your best friend and Head of Human Resources, informing me to come and get you,” Jeongyeon said. “What happened?”

“How does it make any difference if I tell you?” Nayeon half sing-songs the words to  _ Time of my Life _ , squeezing way too many syllables into such short refrains.

“Every therapist will tell you differently.”

“He was perfect, perfect, perfect,” she sings to a bittersweet melody that Jeongyeon doesn’t recognize. “But why did my heart not go boom boom boom when I saw him?” She hesitates, then picks up the bottle of vodka by the karaoke machine. “I should have become a singer. Navely?”

Navely’s voice sounds from the speaker system inside the room. “Yes, Oh Queen of The Universe?”

Jeongyeon’s eyebrows lift upwards. “You hacked the karaoke machine?  _ Again _ ?”

“Fun fact,” Nayeon says. “Karaoke machines, because of their lack of sensitive data stored inside of them, have surprisingly low defenses against cyber attacks.”

“I am well-aware,” Jeongyeon says.

She’s getting a bit annoyed because these kinds of stunts - Nayeon hacking something while being drunk - usually end up with Jeongyeon having to face angry ex-girlfriends or ex-boyfriends of Nayeon’s. Them coming to her place and screaming at her for hacking any kind of electronic device in their house for cheating on her. Jeongyeon allows any kind of pettiness toward cheaters from the cheatée, if that’s even a word, but Nayeon takes it to an entirely new level.

_ * _

(“Why is my electric toothbrush trying to imitate Katy Perry’s  _ Part of me _ and why is my toaster trying to provide the beats, you bitch?” She shakes her cellphone furiously at Nayeon.

Jeongyeon steps between Nayeon and ex-girlfriend number #34, just in case she wants to throw that phone. It’s an Im Technologies Constellation Aries phone, which is unbreakable and weighs 132 grams. It wouldn’t be Jeongyeon’s weapon of choice - that honor would go to the tremendously high stilettos the girl is wearing - but if the girl would throw it at Nayeon’s head, it could do some damage. Plus, Jeongyeon wants to detain her, because she never liked girlfriend number #34.

“Why have all my ringtones been replaced by  _ Shout out to my ex _ and  _ Should’ve said no _ , you fucking psychopath!?”

Nayeon is not impressed. “First of all, your toothbrush is an Im Technologies product and no product of mine would even  _ breathe  _ toward a Katy Perry song, digitally or otherwise, and second of all, why would you even  _ buy _ a toaster that has bluetooth? What does it need bluetooth for? Did they produce too many bluetooth modules and then decided: Hey, why not add one to our toaster line, just because? That’s bad, bad artisanship. And thirdly, I have no idea who came up with this admittedly,” Nayeon smiles way too brightly here. “Brilliant idea.”

Jeongyeon then has to drag the girl out, because she starts screaming and God, is that saliva flowing from her mouth, spraying all over?

When Jeongyeon comes back to her boss, even though that title has been mutilated beyond recognition in the six years Jeongyeon has been working for Nayeon, she can’t help herself but be critical. “Did you hack any of her devices?”

Nayeon is staring at her phone, working on something and doesn’t even look up when she answers. “I’m hurt you think I’m not above violating other people’s privacy.”

Jeongyeon huffs at that, but Nayeon continues.

“She uploaded herself making out … and doing other stuff on her Instagram story that night,” Nayeon says, holding up her phone. The pictures are in 4K and blatantly graphic. Navely’s newest routines are able to pick just the right details. It’s a gift and a curse.

Jeongyeon flinches away and wishes she could unsee that. “I haven’t had my coffee yet!”

“No shaming going on here - everyone should do whatever they want, but I’d prefer my girlfriend’s tongue in my throat and not in the throat of,” Nayeon swipes, checking the videos and pictures. “Oh. Six … seven … eight women and three guys.” She lifts her eyebrows. “Quite the night.” There’s a pause, then Nayeon turns on her heel and marches toward the staircase leading to the lab. “I deleted all the embarrassing CCTV footage, so she should be grateful, for God’s sake. Katy Perry on her toaster is her smallest problem, if you are asking me.”)

*

“Tell me.”

Nayeon stares at her and Jeongyeon stares back. There’s a silent struggle for a moment, then Nayeon shrugs. Her smile is about as fake as her competitor’s announcement of developing a phone thinner than the Im Technologies Constellation Aquarius X9 cellphone.

“Nothing happened,” Nayeon says. The smile grows even bigger and at the same time, it turns bleak. “He was perfect. He was funny, attentive, had decent hygiene, could sometimes understand what I was telling him, had a stable job, a sane family, wasn’t intimidated by my looks, wealth or background, he genuinely cared and he cried when we broke up - not too hard, but hard enough that I knew he was genuinely interested.” Nayeon sways. “He was perfect. It didn’t work out. So by process of elimination, if  _ he _ was perfect, then  _ he _ wasn’t the problem.”

The conclusion hangs heavy between them.

It’s times like this that reminds Jeongyeon that Nayeon, despite her flippancy, her sometimes off-putting personality and her ability to make everyone uncomfortable with a single comment, has a pretty fragile heart and is human, after all.

“I should just go and build a robot - the perfect boyfriend. Or girlfriend.” She still smiles at Jeongyeon, but this time the smile is so wide, it keeps the tears at bay.

Jeongyeon eyes her and keeps the fact that she knew Nayeon and her latest conquest wouldn’t last, to herself. If the people Nayeon truly, really loves are any indication, Nayeon’s future, significant other needs to be someone extraordinary.

Not  _ perfect _ . Extraordinary.

Her friends are by no means perfect - they are loud, impossible, difficult, brilliant, caring, loving and crazy - but they all wield an ability that is currently only possessed by seven individuals on the planet:

They can keep up with her and they love her so hard, so much, so indescribably stubbornly, that it actually gets through Nayeon’s massively thick skull - and that makes a big difference.

Her ex was perfect, no doubt, as perfect as a serene mountain lake, surrounded by snow-tipped mountain ranges and deer grazing in the distance.

Nayeon, on the other hand, is a bomb disguised as a disco ball, and when she goes off, you’re either able stand the force thrown at you, or you run away, scared, perfection be damned.

Jeongyeon sighs, then turns around, showing her her back. It’s a gesture reserved for emergencies and this is an emergency. “Hop on.”

Nayeon stares. The smile slips away. It’s a good thing, because the tears will come in no time and if she keeps them in, they will only water her brain unnecessarily.

“Let’s get you home. Jihyo is waiting.” She looks over her shoulder, her hands stretched backwards at an uncomfortable angle, fingers wriggling encouragingly as she repeats: “Hop on.”

Nayeon sets down the karaoke machine’s mic and then reaches out, wrapping her arms around Jeongyeon’s neck. She’s very warm and her breath smells like vodka.

“I don’t think I’ll ever find someone,” Nayeon says softly, miserably.

“We both know that’s statistically unlikely.”

“No, I know that’s statistically unlikely. You just thought I knew what I was doing when I came up with that statistic, chose to believe me and nodded along.” It sounds more tired and less snappy.

“Result is the same. I know because you told me.”

“Don’t believe all the things I’m telling you, Yoo Jeongyeon.”

Jeongyeon smiles. “I’m good at vetting, thanks to you.” Her nose crinkles in disgust. “Why do you smell like tuna  _ and _ popcorn?”

Nayeon is almost asleep when they leave the room. “For me to know, for you to find out.”

*

When Jeongyeon arrives at the lab the next morning, carrying a paper bag, it’s suspiciously quiet.

The lab, situated on the 82th floor of the Im Tower in Seoul, houses Im Technologies’ Special Development Department.

Technically, Jeongyeon has an office here as well, as an honorary member of the Special Development Department, but she has experienced a variety of incidents up here, ranging from explosions, nano robots running amok, a nurse robot trying to kill first Chaeyoung, then Sana, then Momo, and Dahyun’s plants transforming the entire floor into a greenhouse over a weekend and the thing with the flamingo nobody talks about.

Today, it’s quiet enough for a pin to drop on the floor. Sana is in her glass box, happy with all her chemicals and dances to whatever song her headphones are providing, two flasks with colorful chemicals in her hands. She gives Jeongyeon a wave when she sees her pass by and Jeongyeon waves back. Jeongyeon sets down a singular paper cup with caffeinated contents (Pumpkin Spice latte with a bit of caramel and lactose-free milk) that says Crazy Chemical Lady. She’s not going into that box that contains Sana. She knows better than that.

The northwestern corner of the warehouse-sized lab is completely covered by monitors, and at hip height, by keyboards. An office chair the size of the Iron Throne moves in between several keyboards and screens, as someone hums softly in their seat.

“Chaeng!”

The Iron Office Chair stops moving, but the hums persist. Then a voice: “Jihyo’s two assistants are …”

“Language,” Jeongyeon warns.

“... having an indecent relationship in their office rooms.” None of the screens shows anything like it, but Jeongyeon doesn’t question the information. It’s also none of her business.

“Does Jihyo know you are snooping in her CCTV again, Chaeng?” Jeongyeon asks and removes a cup from her paper bag that says H.A.L.

Chaeng chuckles at the black writing on the Myoui Coffeeshop cup. “You are such an oldie.”

“You love that movie,” Jeongyeon says, as Chaeyoung picks up the cup and turns around in her chair. 

The chair almost swallows the girl entirely, the faux leather surface groaning at every movement. Nobody in the office likes this chair, except Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung looks up at her. “You look like you had a rough night,  _ oppa _ .”

Jeongyeon cringes at the nickname. “As if you don’t know everything about it already.”

Chaeyoung shrugs. “I may or may not have algorithms that inform me of such things.” She takes a sip from her cup. “Ahh. Best coffee in the world.”

“You are not exactly impartial.”

“Neither are you,” Chaeyoung says and shrugs.

“Who else is in?”

Chaeyoung doesn’t even turn. “Chaengvely -”

“That’s the most stupid name …”

Chaeyoung shoots her a sharp glance. “It can hear you! Don’t be mean, you’ll hurt its feelings. Chaengvely, you heard her. Can you tell me who is in?”

“Most certainly, greatest human being on the planet: Minatozaki Sana and Son Chaeyoung,” Chaengvely announces. Its voice does, indeed, sound slightly miffed. “Kim Dahyun has just entered the building.”

Jeongyeon flinches only slightly. It takes her quite the amount of self-control. “Greatest human being on the planet?”

“You can shorten it with g.h.b.o.t.p. but it doesn’t have the same ring to it, right?” Chaeyoung shrugs and then stabs her coffee cup with a straw made from a sort of metal, before slurping from it loudly. “It was that or Queen of Darkness, but I think that title belongs to the  _ eonnie  _ upstairs.”

Jeongyeon nods slowly. “Chaengvely, is Nayeon in?”

Chaengvely doesn’t answer.

“See? Now you have hurt its feelings. Say sorry.”

Jeongyeon huffs. “I’m not going to apologize to your personal virtual assistant.”

“One day artificial intelligences will have rights, like the rest of us, and then you are going to regret being rude to your microwave,” Chaeyoung says, but has already turned halfway toward her wall of screens.

Jeongyeon leaves her be. She sets down cups of Myoui Coffee on each table she passes that’s left: Dahyun (sweet chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles atop) and Momo (black, “just like her heart”).

At the end of the lab, the entrance to an elevator is located. She presses her thumb on the pad next to the door. Her own face and personal data appears on the small screen above the pad. Then, after a moment, her file is replaced by Navely’s face:

“Hi, hot stuff. I’m so glad you are visiting. You look fantastic today.”

Jeongyeon takes a deep sigh. “Just let me in.”

“Anything you wish for, lovely,” Navely says and the doors part. The cute face on the screen smiles and fills up the screen inside the elevator as well. “Just so you know, compared to Chaevely, I would never, ever refuse a request from you.”

She presses a button inside the elevator. The small cabin starts to move. “That’s … good to know,” Jeongyeon says and bemoans the fact that the only person -  _ thing _ \- that seems to like flirting with her in all earnestness is her boss’ glorified chatbot.

The doors part again. The space that’s filled with the lab beneath, is Nayeon’s penthouse up here. The ceiling is slightly higher and the walls are a subtle kind of off-white, warming the color slightly. The apartment has sprung from the mind of some world-class interior designer and is pristine; no thanks to Nayeon for that, as she is the most disorganized person Jeongyeon has ever met.

How she gets any kind of work done is absolutely beyond her.

Jeongyeon ventures further into the lion’s den, passing two Jackson Pollocks and an Andy Warhol. Jeongyeon doesn’t exactly share Nayeon’s taste for art - the things she buys are often as loud as her own personality - but she admires the brilliance behind them.

The light is slightly dimmed, the curtains drawn, and in the distance, she can hear some rustling. Someone is in the kitchen.

Jeongyeon draws closer. The open floor plan makes it easy to survey the entire apartment: she can see the living room, the kitchen and the bathroom, surrounded by glass walls that turn milky when there’s a need for privacy.

The only bright light comes from the open fridge door, where a dark figure is illuminated.

Jeongyeon reaches out and turns on the light.

The figure shrieks and lifts her hands to shield herself from the light, like a vampire. “Navely! Lights! Out!  _ Now _ !”

“Yes, Queen of the Universe,” Navely says sweetly and the lights dim down.

The figure slams the fridge door shut and turns. “Are you trying to kill me?”

Jeongyeon comes closer and takes a seat on a high bar chair by the kitchen island and sets down the paper bag to take out two cups. “Killing you with your kitchen light? That would be a new one, I guess.” She pushes the cup toward Nayeon. “I brought you coffee.”

Nayeon is still somewhere crouching on the floor in front of the fridge. “I have coffee. I have a coffee machine. I have a coffee machine that’s more expensive than my haircut and my haircut costs more than the GDP of a small country.”

“We both know that’s a lie, because one of your robots cuts your hair, because you don’t trust humans with it.” Jeongyeon nods at the inconspicuous white cup with the dark orange lettering. “It’s Myoui Coffeehouse’s Cold Brew Latte with ice cubes, whipped cream, soy milk and the Secret Ingredient.”

There’s silence for a moment, then Nayeon rises from behind the kitchen island like a dead person. Her hands creep over the corner of the surface like a vampire taking hold of its coffin, uselessly clawing into the indestructible surface. She makes quite a production of it, groaning, before finally managing to drag herself to her feet.

“Navely,” she calls out. “Twenty percent light.”

The lamps come to life.

Jeongyeon is only mostly immune to her now: Nayeon is wearing a white dress shirt and nothing much else, Jeongyeon suspects, and black glasses from some famous, expensive brand. Her hair is in wild disarray and her skin is paler than usual. She’s shorter like this, because she’s barefoot and Jeongyeon’s sneakers provide her a tad of a height advantage.

She looks younger like this as well, the absence of make-up emphasizing the tiny constellations of freckles on her face. Nayeon frowns for a moment, holding on to the kitchen island, before directing her gaze at Jeongyeon behind the large sunglasses that make her look like an insect. She smiles and her brows slant. It’s the bunny-toothed smile like she’s genuinely happy to see Jeongyeon. She’s terribly pretty, prettier than Jeongyeon has ever seen any person capable of being.

“I’d say you are a lifesaver, but I died at least twice last night,” Nayeon groans, her smile disappearing. Then grasps the cup and takes a sip, part of her tension rolling away. “Oh, thank you.”

“Jihyo informed me that you should not be allowed to talk to people before you have your morning coffee,” Jeongyeon said, taking a seat on the high bar chairs in front of the kitchen island.

“Why would she even suggest something like that?” Nayeon asks, innocently, over the rim of her cup.

“Because you tend to make your personal assistants cry,” Jeongyeon says.

“Well.” Nayeon shrugs and moves her cup in a kind of cheers motion toward Jeongyeon. “That’s why we have the LaburiOS now - who needs human assistants if we have computers?”

“It’s … not the same.”

“Says you of all people, who barely leaves her home when she’s not working,” Nayeon shrugs. It doesn’t sound like criticism, just stating the facts.

Jeongyeon can’t entirely reject the idea, however she still tries. “I do have a private life,” she says, defensively. “Plus, I have you guys. Babysitting you fills up my day quite nicely. Speaking of personal assistants: I need you to fix my virtual one here.”

Nayeon lets her cup sink to the surface of the island. “Is it not working? Is it broken? Did it order pineapple when you wanted mushrooms?”

“Pineapple is an excellent choice for pizza -”

“Heresy!”

“- and no, that’s not it.” Jeongyeon takes out her cellphone. “Navely?”

The face immediately fills the screen. “Yes, my princess charming?”

Jeongyeon lifts her eyebrows and points at the screen with her index finger. “Hear that?”

Nayeon’s face is completely blank. “Hear what?”

“My … my  _ princess charming _ ,” Jeongyeon says. “I want it to stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“Calling me my  _ princess charming _ ,” Jeongyeon says. “It can call me Jeongyeon or  _ eonnie _ or … or  _ chingu _ , if you insist, but not … that.”

Nayeon takes a very long and appraising glance into the insides of her cup, before she looks up. “It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.”

“Nayeon -”

“What? It does everything you want it to, right? It takes care of your appointments, it makes sure you are on time, it charges the Naymobile …”

“You mean The Other Car.”

Nayeon ignores her. “- and it provides excellent navigational support.”

“But I don’t need all that! I can take care of my appointments, I am on time - always - and the Naymobile is an abomination, because it’s so … sleek and perfect and so … so … _ Italian _ .” Jeongyeon takes a deep sigh. “Doesn’t matter. I want Jeongvely back. It was grumpy and didn’t want to do small talk. And it doesn’t call me hot stuff or cutie pie or … whatever.”

Nayeon sighs. “I’ll see what I can do. I gave you Navely, because it has the most administrative rights in the entirety of the LaburiOS and I figured you, as my bodyguard, might find that useful.”

“Don’t make me feel bad. You know I’m grateful, it’s just … sometimes it’s just _ too much _ .”

“I see. I’ll try to update Jeongvely or have Chaeng do it. In the meantime, just try to bear with it.” Nayeon takes off her sunglasses. Even when tired, she’s the prettiest girl Jeongyeon has ever seen. “What’s up today?”

“The presentation.”

“Which presentation?”

“The one for your latest cellphone. The one for the Constellation Aries X10.”

“Oh. The one I developed two years ago. Yes, I remember. Right.” She cracks her knuckles. “Guess I have to dumb myself down a bit.”

“Don’t - they can try harder. Plus, in exchange they’ll get a cellphone that will trump the competition,” Nayeon says. Jeongyeon points at the coffee. “Drink up first.”

Nayeon smiles at her, happy and bewildered. “You are so nice today. How come?”

Jeongyeon presses her lips together for a moment. “Do you remember what happened yesterday?”

“Yes. So?”

Jeongyeon hesitates. “You broke up. You were devastated. You drank your bodyweight in alcohol.”

“And today is a new day.”

“It’s alright to be sad once in a while, you know?” Jeongyeon says. “The secret is to maintain a healthy balance.”

“We don’t sell sadness in this company.”

Jeongyeon lifts her cellphone, a half-smile on her face. “You don’t sell happiness either.”

Nayeon returns the smile, mirroring it perfectly. A moment passes. Then: “I thought this time, it would be good, you know? Perfect.”

“I know.”

“And he was really nice.”

“I know.”

“And then … we broke up.”

“You know what your problem here is?”

“That I am the statistical exception of being intelligent, beautiful, witty, successful and brilliant and therefore it is almost impossible to find someone to cater to my particular needs, therefore dooming me to a life of barfing at the happy relationships of my less capable - or more capable, depending on how you measure it - friends, while dying in complete and utter solitude?”

“Well. Yes. That and you want too much at once. Be less unforgiving. Sometimes falling in love takes years.”

Nayeon looks at her over the rim of her cup and stares for a long moment. “Sometimes falling in love with someone takes years?”

Jeongyeon shrugged. “I’ve read about it. What do I know?”

Nayeon stares at her and Jeongyeon can feel her searching for something. It makes her uncomfortable and retreat. She rarely speaks about what’s in her heart and when somebody tries to poke into the depth of what is hidden there, it rises and makes her face it herself.

And Jeongyeon, for all her badasser-y, can’t look that pink, pulsing happy thing in the face, that has Nayeon’s breath and Nayeon’s smile and her sense of humor and her bright personality all over it.

So Jeongyeon shuts her down.

“You have to get ready. Your presentation is in three hours and you haven’t even chosen your lipstick for the day.”

Nayeon still stares at her and Jeongyeon can see the gears in her head turning. She wishes her boss slash bane of her life would stop doing that. “I’ll go with peach. You like peach, don’t you?” she finally says.

“The color of your lips isn’t exactly high on my agenda,” Jeongyeon says dryly.

(Nayeon likes five shades of lipstick: Peach, strawberry, cherry, nude and the purple one that Jeongyeon hates. Jeongyeon loves peach though.)

Then Jihyo comes in (“How come you aren’t even  _ dressed _ yet??”) and saves Jeongyeon from further conversation with a girl that can impale her heart with a glance alone.

*

_ Private Discord Server - Fifty Shades of Awesome. _

OneJin [ingame: Sims4]: I shot someone today. Twice. ::sademoji::

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: Was it in the face? ::evil::

OneJin [ingame: Sims4]: What?? No!

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: :(

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: I shot some1 today. 3rice. ::wickedemoji::

OneJin [ingame: Sims4]: Did your guy die?

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: No. Was just a tazr gun. He twitchd tho. No1 is touching my girl while Im on b-guard duty.

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: I didn’t tazer anyone in a rly long time. ::sademoji::

OneJin [ingame: Sims4]: Because you are working in that shopping mall! As a mall guard!

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: Nothing wrong being a mall guard!

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: U literally protected a prezident onze!

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: It was the president of a toothpaste company!

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: Talk 2 the accounting gurl alrdy, get her nmbr, stop wrkng at the mall, protect a real prez again! ::angry:: I dunt wanna eat shitty Chicken Alfredo at the food court wth u anymore n watch u cry!

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: ::expressionless:: Anyway. How’s your thing going, Jeong?

OneJin [ingame: Sims4]: Don’t change the topic!

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: ::tonguestuckout::

OneYeon: My client broke up with her boyfriend.

OneJin [ingame: Sims4]: Miss Bunny #2 broke up with her boyfriend? ::shockedemoji::

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: Th perf bf? ::shockedemoji:: ::shockedemoji::

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: The one that looked like his smile was from a toothpaste commercial? ::shockedemoji:: ::shockedemoji:: ::shockedemoji:: 

OneYeon: Yeah, that one. And she’s Miss Bunny #1, Hyun. We’ve talked about this. You already stole my nickname.

OneJin [ingame: Sims4]: ::zippermouthface::

_ OneJin [ingame: Sims4] changed their name to EpicBloodbathArchitect. _

OneYeon: Dude. No.

_ EpicBloodbathArchitect [ingame: Sims4] changed their name to AeongCat. _

OneYeon: But Hyun is right, @Seul2Bear. You gotta get your shit together. You are able to to incapacitate a person in nine different ways only using a spoon. And the chicken Alfredo *does* suck there.

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: I’ll get my shit together, if you get your shit together.

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: Yeah, that will nvr happen!!!1

OneYeon: I have my shit together.

AeongCat [ingame: Sims4]: ::sideeye::

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: ::sideeye::

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: ::sideeye::

OneYeon: I hate all of you.

_ OneYeon has left the chat. _


	2. two.

(The first time Jeongyeon met Nayeon was when Jeongyeon was still working for another client: The woman in question was an idol - Bona - a girl that looked like her face had been sculpted from marble.

In Greek mythology there was a woman, Helen of Troy, who had been kidnapped by a foreign prince. Legend told of her beauty that was able to launch a thousand ships, pursuing her to get her back.

A scientist with a peculiar sense of humor came up with a unit to measure beauty: if one helen could launch a thousand ships, one millihelen would be required to launch a singular ship.

When Jeongyeon saw Bona the first time, she knew immediately that all of Silla, the Korean Kingdom of old, would have followed her in ancient times to the end of the world to get her back.

It made little to no difference to Jeongyeon whether or not her client was pretty. As a matter of fact, if a girl or a boy was too pretty, Jeongyeon regarded them with some distrust, because she had often met people who wielded their beauty over their fellow kinsmen like a cruel and absolute curse.

Bona wasn’t like that. Bona was kind and friendly, funny and wonderful. She had an endless amount of patience with her fans, was a dream to work with, had an exterior made from teflon whenever the hate comments would threaten to sweep her away and a heart like pink cotton candy, especially with her younger fans. Their relationship had one single, glaring flaw though; a tragedy even, befitting her classical face.

When Jeongyeon was still working for her, Bona was Im Technology’s face for the Constellation Cepheus line and as such hired for an exclusive concert at the Im Technologies Expo.

“You are using your grumpy face again and scaring the fans,” Bona said from the corner of her eye, her smile intact, as she smiled and waved out of the window of her car. Outside, people tried to catch a glimpse of her, pressed against the glass, waving, taking pictures, trying to make her react to just about anything.

Jeongyeon occupied the seat opposite of Bona in the long stretch limousine, eyeing the chaos outside wearily. She was ready to wipe the floor with just about anyone who tried to touch her idol.

Once, Bona had been wearing a red-feathered dress and someone had ripped away one of the feathers. A second fan had seen and reached out as well - and then another and another, resulting in the nightmare of every bodyguard. They had literally tried to devour her and it had resulted in some very ugly results from Jeongyeon’s side:

She had protected Bona at all costs, had managed to drag her to safety, even if it meant colliding her elbow with the center of two faces - and the result had been the closure of Bona’s second biggest fansite, but Jeongyeon had done her job.

In fact, everyone had done their job: Bona by looking pretty, Jeongyeon by keeping her safe and her fans by being as crazy as Jeongyeon had always suspected them to be.

The management had been angry nonetheless of course. Fansites (or stalkers, as Jeongyeon considered them to be) meant free publicity for their artist at the meager price of leaking tour dates and fansigns two weeks before anyone else got them. The closing of one of them meant less attention, less advertisements and more potential antis.

Jeongyeon hadn’t gotten fired, though. And she had a slight idea as to why.

“It is my job to  _ scare _ the fans,” Jeongyeon said, her voice neutral. The car stopped and some of the local security team created some space outside for Bona to emerge from the car.

Jeongyeon was going to go first. She leaned forward and touched the door handle, but Bona reached forward, her hand on her arm.

“Is that all that you have to say about this?”

Jeongyeon turned. “What else do you want me to say? Also.” She took a deep breath and her gaze flattened even more. “This is not exactly the perfect moment to discuss this.”

“There’s never ever a perfect moment to discuss things like this,” Bona said.

“Bona -”

“Eonnie.” Bona interrupted her, then quickly smiled to apologize. “Let me - let me go first. Please?”

Jeongyeon removed her hand from the door and sank back. Outside, some men in black suits were still busy wrestling people away from the entrance of the building. Someone called for reinforcements by speaking frantically into a walkie talkie.

“It’s not - you.” Jeongyeon laughed, the sound dry as leaves. It made Bona grip her arm harder. “I promise, it’s not. It’s just -” She struggled for words. “Sometimes it just doesn’t click and … it just didn’t click.”

Jeongyeon still stared at her. That was the flaw. That she didn’t like her back.

“I know you’d probably be good for me, eonnie, but I’m not very good at making healthy decisions, you know?”

Jeongyeon knew, as she remembered a sudden slideshow of her greatest hits that involved alcohol, dark bars, flashy clubs, an entire gossamer of just Really Stupid Decisions™ and Jeongyeon wondered sometimes as to the decisions of her own heart.

“And I cannot force myself to like someone, no matter how hard I try to,” she concluded.

Jeongyeon shrugged and watched with some satisfaction as a guy with a gigantic camera was forced to the ground. They wrestled a selfie stick from beneath his coat. Jeongyeon remembered him trying to take pictures of young idol’s underwear. Bona’s took the most on the corresponding online markets.

“I know,” Jeongyeon said and watched how the guy used one hand to try and pull himself up, using the limo for leverage, but the windows were not designed to provide any kind of support and the hand just slowly sunk down, leaving behind sweat marks on the glass. “And I realize it’s not your fault. I will still quit over this. To be personally involved with your client is not only unprofessional, but also dangerous - and I don’t want to make the wrong decision when it really counts.”

Bona removed her hand and sank back in her seat. She took a deep breath and looked at Jeongyeon, then nodded slowly. “As you wish, eonnie.” A pause. “Do you already have a new offer?”

“I’m afraid that’s none of your business.”

“Eonnie -”

This time, Jeongyeon removed her gaze from the tumultuous scenes outside the car and met Bona’s glance. “I would have quit, no matter your answer, because even if you would have returned … my … feel - you know, even then, I could not have continued working for you.” She shrugged. “And don’t feel bad. I’m usually really good at not liking my clients and it makes me do my job better. Consider yourself special that I - that I said what I said.” She shrugged again and attempted a half-smile.

Bona eyed her, her eyes carrying warmth and sincerity. “I’m very sorry.”

Jeongyeon shrugged again. “Security cleared the way. I hope I don’t have to break the nose of another fansite of yours.”

She was only half joking, Bona knew, as Jeongyeon got out of the car and Bona slipped on her sunglasses to follow her. They were met by a group of security guards, each wearing a sleek, black suit with the tiny Im Technology logo pinned to their lapels. The group enclosed them immediately and safely escorted them through the large, glass entrance inside.

Jeongyeon was surprised: despite the long, crazy lines of fans all gathered in front of the entrance, they had commendable control of the crowd. Someone was good at their job.

Inside, Bona’s manager and team came to meet them and the woman behind the reception counter started giving out visitor passes with a well-trained smile. She pointed in a certain direction and shepherded the group toward the main hall of the event center. 

The Im Tech Expo was one of the biggest events the industry had to offer; it was live streamed, watched by millions of people from all walks of life and Bona could potentially reach an audience in the billions.

It was an important gig for everyone involved and while Jeongyeon didn’t exactly feel nervous about being responsible for the security, the amount of preparation that was required was staggering.

The stage for the event was enormous, but the technology and electronics behind the scenes amounted to around twice the space. Jeongyeon knew the critical positions right over the stage, amidst the hanging spotlights and the cables. Elevated bridges were fixed on the ceiling, mostly reserved for light technicians, but Jeongyeon knew a person with hypothetical malicious intent had the perfect view of the stage and everything that was going on there.

While Bona started with her first sound check, Jeongyeon got herself lost in the labyrinth above the stage.

Part of her just wanted to get away. Quitting with a piece of paper was only half the way.

Jeongyeon made sure to check all the critical spots and besides a few technicians, she didn’t find anything or anyone suspicious.

She checked the last impasse and looked down at the long rows of empty seats and the chaotic collection of sounds coming from the stage as the musicians started to plug in their equipment and struck a few chords. Nothing out of the ordinary.

The last thing she would have wished for was an incident right at the end of her employment.

She turned around sharply and collided with someone coming from the neighboring bridge. The impact sent the other person on the floor, spilling all her belongings on the steel plates of the bridge.

“Sor-!” Jeongyeon managed to say.

“Watch where you are going!” The girl sat in front of her on the floor, laptop by her shoes, while rubbing her side.

Jeongyeon leaned down. “Sorry. Sorry, I didn’t see where I was -” She stopped when she noticed a few things: the girl was wearing a black hoodie, not the standard-issued green uniform of the technicians working in the building. Her laptop was covered with a dozen and more stickers, among them gems such as  _ Cheese is my drug _ and  _ Ask me about the flamingos _ .

But most importantly: no keycard was dangling around the girl’s neck. No security clearance. In the back of Jeongyeon’s head, several smaller Jeongyeons were emerging, each of them waving a red flag.  _ No security clearance _ .

The girl looked up at her, slightly annoyed. She looked as dangerous as an angry bunny. “Aren’t you going to help me up?”

_ I’m offering you my hand and you draw out a weapon and send me flying down, _ Jeongyeon thought before she could stop herself. 

“What are you doing up here?” Jeongyeon asked slowly. And just to cover her suspicion, she asked: “Are you hurt?”

“Yes!” the girl said, like it was obvious and Jeongyeon was stupid. She reached for the railing and hoisted herself to her feet. “My bottom, my hip and my ego. God, you are such a klutz.”

Jeongyeon picked up the laptop. It was surprisingly light and there was a bluetooth adapter attached to it, a wifi dongle and two other small, thumb-drive-like devices Jeongyeon had never seen before. The screen came to life and a creature’s face appeared on it.

It was blue and happy. Jeongyeon immediately hated it.

“Hi, pretty,” it said.

Jeongyeon almost dropped the entire thing. “What the hell?!”

The girl tried to snatch the laptop away. “Gimme that!”

Jeongyeon didn’t budge and held on to it. Maybe it was a weapon? Maybe a  _ bomb _ was hidden inside it?

The creature on the screen smiled wider. “I like you!” it announced happily.

Both Jeongyeon and the laptop’s owner were equally appalled by the notion.

“No, you don’t!” The owner pulled again. “Give me that!”

“Show me your security clearance first!” Jeongyeon demanded, pulling back.

The steel bridge beneath their legs swayed less gently than Jeongyeon would have preferred. Beneath her was a long ocean of chair rows and strange sounds. Jeongyeon suddenly felt like something weird, strange and extraordinary was about to happen. She couldn’t point her finger at it though.

The girl’s glance flicked up to meet Jeongyeon’s. Her face was a clear indication that her opinion as to Jeongyeon’s IQ hadn’t improved the slightest. “My  _ security clearance _ ?” she asked, scandalized. “What would _ you _ need  _ my _ security clearance for?”

“Everyone in this building needs one,” Jeongyeon insisted. “What are you even doing up here? Are you a technician?”

“Am I a technician?!” she echoed, consternation obvious on her face. “Just who do you think I am?” She tugged at her black hoodie. “This is from the Myoui Autumn collection that was _ designed with me in mind _ . Who the hell are  _ you _ ?”

Jeongyeon inspected the hoodie, still holding on to the laptop between them. “It’s black. And a hoodie.”

The girl gasped. “You take that back!”

“You give me the laptop and accompany me to see security!” Jeongyeon offered as a counter proposal.

The girl huffed. “I’m here to find the perfect spot to take this laptop and drop it onto Bona’s head,” the girl said, dryly. “Now give it back!”

“You wouldn’t dare, Queen of The Universe!” the thing in the laptop said. “I just got my latest update!”

“We need to check your sarcasm subroutine.” The girl shook her head then looked at Jeongyeon. “And as for you: Give me back my laptop or I’ll kick your butt!”

This time it was Jeongyeon who snorted. “I would like to see you try.”

“You think I can’t?”

“I’m a close protection officer,” Jeongyeon said. “It’s literally my job to wipe the floor with people like you. So yes, please, do me a favor and try to kick my butt.”

The girl cast her a long, deliberating glance. “Seems like we have reached an impasse,” she said, one hand on the laptop, the other stemmed into her side.

“Seems like it.” Jeongyeon eyed her. Her face was half hidden under the hoodie, but she could still make out her features clearly: Young, bare of make-up, freckled, pretty. She imagined that the pretty face could produce quite an impressive smirk. “How about a compromise?”

“You want to make me laugh? Go on, I haven’t heard a good joke today,” the girl said. She pulled again, but to no avail. Jeongyeon wouldn’t let go.

“You let me search you and we get the laptop to security,” Jeongyeon said.

“What’s in it for me?”

“I’m not going to  _ carry _ you down, in handcuffs.”

The girl’s eyebrows lifted, then she produced an impressive smirk that Jeongyeon had predicted earlier. “I’m not sure if you are a pervert or a romantic or if you are just trying to feel me up.”

“You think I  _ like _ touching you? You look like you haven’t showered in days! I’ll have to go through decontamination procedures afterwards and I’ll probably have to get updated on vaccines as well!”

“ _ Decontamination procedures? _ I will let you know that I have not only showered twice today, but also in a shower cabin more expensive than your car,” the girl said.

She was serious, Jeongyeon realized. Just who was she?

“Counter proposal! I will let you search me, but no handcuffs and I get to take a picture of your face when you find out who I am.”

Jeongyeon considered the proposal. It seemed reasonable, but it still made her wonder as to the identity of the girl. She merely shrugged. “And if you are the Queen of  _ Mars _ , I don’t care.”

They held their glances, the laptop between them and slowly, slowly set it down in the middle. Jeongyeon took her foot to slowly move it to the side, while the girl reached up and pushed her hoodie back. “You are incredibly annoying, do you know that?” She reached for the zipper and held the fabric of the hoodie in place, then slowly started to move the zipper down.

Jeongyeon stared. “W-what are you doing?”

“The  _ Queen _ of  _ Mars _ ,” the girl emphasized. “Is going to do you a favor, since I don’t want you to go through a decontamination procedure.” She smirked and stepped forward, letting the hoodie slip down her shoulders. She held Jeongyeon’s glance, daring her to look down. “I’m wondering - are you a good bodyguard? You are Bona’s security detail, aren’t you?” She leaned forward and managed to read the name off Jeongyeon’s security card. Dammit. “ _ Yoo Jeongyeon. _ She must be paying you really well to be so thick headed about this.”

Jeongyeon held the girl's glance and tried to resist the urge to swallow down the sand dunes in her throat. Instead she summoned the kind of grim look she usually had reserved from paparazzi as the girl started to take off her hoodie, threw it to the side to reveal a white t-shirt underneath.

“Well?” She stepped closer. “Want to pat me down? Be thorough! I might be hiding a bomb in my bra.”

Jeongyeon’s jaw tightened. “Let’s go down to the security office …”

“To the security office?” The girl seemed to enjoy the sudden discomfort. She would not let this go, Jeongyeon suddenly realized, and there was nowhere to go. “But we can do this here, now!” She wasn’t touching Jeongyeon, but her body warmth was so close, Jeongyeon could feel it radiating off her and seep into her clothing.

With a sudden surge of panic, Jeongyeon saw the girl’s hands move to her t-shirt. She lifted it and for a moment, skin was visible, a flat stomach and the faintest hint of abs. Jeongyeon suddenly wanted to run away, while her mouth dried up.

She had no idea where her reactions came from, though: She was used to being around beautiful people. Pretty people. Perfect people with perfect teeth and perfect bodies. That girl - she was too small, terribly thin, had bunny teeth and a glint in her eye that was dangerous, intimidating and way too playful for Jeongyeon’s taste.

She didn’t like anything about that girl.

A part of her also registered a perfume, sweet and lovely, instantly creeping into her head. The combination proved to be lethal to her concentration.

“You can help me if you want …” The girl started to pull the shirt up. 

Jeongyeon’s hands shot forward and covered hers, trying to pull the shirt down. “I think we are good.”

“Are you sure? I’m fully cooperative,  _ officer _ ,” the girl smirked and purred at the same time.

This was not how Jeongyeon had imagined her day would look like: That she would go ahead and try to stop a girl from stripping in front of her. That she would suddenly find that girl extremely annoying, extremely full of herself, extremely presumptive; that she didn’t like her at all. Did she really think Jeongyeon would forfeit her duties, just because of a beautiful face and an admittedly pretty hot body?

“We. Are. Fine,” Jeongyeon said, her voice sharp. Usually she could intimidate anyone with that voice, as she pushed the shirt down again when the girl made another attempt to pull it up. But the girl seemed to be amused and nothing else.

The distance between them had shrunk down to a bare minimum. Jeongyeon still felt the warmth of her hands under her own. Felt the warmth of her body against hers. Felt the smile before she saw it and she really didn’t want to see it.

She felt panic freeze her and cursed herself for it, especially when the girl’s voice grew softer in a way that crept through all of Jeongyeon’s defenses before she could stop it. “Bona sure knows how to pick her bodyguards. Maybe I should get a new model myself?”

There was a moment when Jeongyeon just stared at her, not knowing what to think. If that girl was a terrorist or an assassin or whatever, she surely had the weirdest and most unprofessional way about it. Any other person would have already engaged in close-combat by now. Even though Jeongyeon didn’t exactly know what the girl could do with that weird talking laptop of hers, she was next to useless in a physical altercation, if her plan mostly included stripping and trying to wield her beauty.

“I’ll pity whoever it’s going to be,” Jeongyeon said, holding her glance.

She had theorized about the idea that somewhere out there in the world, there would be a person comprised of all the character traits Jeongyeon abhorred - some sort of anti-soulmate - and that girl currently took the spot. Everything about her was infuriating.

There was a last attempt from the girl’s side to remove her t-shirt, but they were interrupted.

A high-pitched voice resounded from the other side of the steel bridge. Both women turned around, caught. Jeongyeon felt her ear tips turn pink at the sight of a short, flabbergasted woman that marched towards them. She didn’t exactly seem surprised, just horrified.

Jeongyeon knew who she was. Everybody working for Im Tech knew. Park Jihyo, head of human resources. You knew when your job was important - because then, you would meet her.

Jihyo dragged at the girl’s shoulder. “Eonnie!  _ Again _ ?”

“It’s not what it looks like!”

“ _ It’s not what it looks like?! _ ” Jihyo stepped closer and picked up the hoodie on the floor, before shoving it at the girl’s chest.

“She started it!” The girl tried to reason with Jihyo.

“No, I did not!” Jeongyeon answered, as if she had to justify herself.

Jihyo stared at her, then at the fully dressed Jeongyeon, then at the girl again. “She’s fully clothed! How can she be the one who started it!”

“I was trying to make a point -”

“A _ point _ ? What  _ point _ ? This could be a very expensive potential sexual harassment lawsuit -”

“Sexual harassment lawsuit?! If there is any lawsuit going on, then I’m starting it, because she tried to steal my Navely!”

“Well, that’s not exactly true, Queen of the Universe,” Navely - the voice from the laptop - said from somewhere on the floor.

Jihyo dragged down the girl’s clothing and pulled at her arm, shielding her with her own body, before facing Jeongyeon. “I’m really sorry. She’s usually not like this.”

Jeongyeon coughed. “I do think she is usually like this.”

The girl, visible over Jihyo’s shoulder, pointed at her own eyes with her index and middle finger, then stabbed her index finger at Jeongyeon. Jeongyeon met the gesture with the sweetest of smiles.

Jihyo cleared her throat. “And I really apologize. I assure you she poses no threat to your client or anyone else in the building.”

The girl tried to shake her fist at Jeongyeon, but even without looking at her, Jihyo managed to catch her hand and pull it down.

“No problem,” Jeongyeon said. She bent down and handed Jihyo the laptop. “Here you go.”

“Thank you,” Jihyo said. She half turned towards the girl. “Alright, let’s go.”

“I don’t want to!”

“You can’t go and escape like this, for god’s sake,” Jihyo said, with a last bow toward Jeongyeon, before shoving the girl away. “You have responsibilities now and you can’t go and hide away.”

“I can,” the girl said stubbornly.

Jeongyeon watched them leave, more shaken than she wanted to admit to herself. Her hands shook and the height was finally getting to her. The girl had so easily grated on her nerves, she had to give her some credit for it - while at the same time, it had been scary. People usually never bothered her. They could be big, scary, loud, armed, but her training and adrenaline would take care of them.

The girl had been half a head smaller than she had been, her frame smaller, but yet, Jeongyeon found she felt an aversion toward her that was nothing short of alarming. 

Jeongyeon sat down, letting her feet dangle over the edge. Below her, Bona continued with her sound rehearsal and then her team started to assemble the last bits and pieces on the stage.

Jeongyeon tried to let the experience roll down her back. She was able to face each and any immediate danger - that girl could have been a stalker, a psycho or just plain a thief, but when the stress started to dissipate, it often left her weak and exhausted.

Nothing had really happened just now, yet she felt weak and exhausted.

Maybe it was Bona, maybe it was the nature of her job, maybe she just needed to get out.

Maybe it was something else, she thought, still feeling terribly warm, her ears glowing.

She watched Jihyo and the girl - The Girl™- walk down, crossing the auditorium, still bickering. The girl was only half-heartedly listening to something Jihyo was trying to tell her, but then lifted her glance up, up to the ceiling and met Jeongyeon’s.

She smiled, then puckered her lips in a kiss, rolling her shoulder in a way that she probably deemed sexy and that Jeongyeon deemed completely inappropriate.

Jeongyeon quickly looked away. Damn her.

The next day she found a job offer in her mailbox from the  _ Queen of Mars _ . It was red and even had the landscape of the red planet printed all over it - a golden crown topped it.

Jeongyeon stared at it over her cup of coffee. The offer was good, crazy good. The letter itself was formal, but someone - and she knew who - had put a post-it with a generous, curly handwriting on it:

_ You owe me a picture of your shocked face, Yoo Jeongyeon! - Im Nayeon, the Queen of Mars and Im Technologies. _

There was a heart behind the word  _ Mars _ . The post-it was pink, scented and heart-shaped.

The nerve.

But - she couldn’t face Bona again and to work with someone she would never, ever, not in a thousand years, have feelings for, seemed like a good idea. She knew she was better at her job when some aggravation and stress came with it.

It pushed her further, made her meaner and grimmer and more concentrated.

She picked up her phone and dialed the number. There was a moment, then Park Jihyo personally picked up the phone. “Yes?” She sounded tired. Probably from all the babysitting.

“Hello. This is Yoo Jeongyeon. We met yesterday when your boss tried to strip.”

A pause. Then: “Please tell me you are going to take up the job.”

Yoo Jeongyeon smiled.)

*

“I want the picture of your face.”

“No.”

“But you promised.”

“I did no such thing.”

“I’m hungry.”

“Noted.”

“Let’s go to Fancy Diner and Restaurant.”

“I’ll wait outside.”

“Why?”

“Navely - read bookmarked Yelp review of Fancy Diner and Restaurant.”

“Certainly, my princess. Reading Yelp review by user QueenNay bookmarked by Yoo Jeongyeon. The next morning after visiting this restaurant can only be described as an interesting reunion with the food consumed the previous evening: all the flavors of India made a comeback as I literally peed out of my butt. The Butter Chicken was cooked to perfection though, crisp and moist in all the right places, and cannot be recommended enough. End of review.”

“One of my best works. It’s always empty when I go there because of it, because I don’t like waiting. I pay them each time enough for the restaurant to be able to continue.”

“Why don’t you just buy it?”

“They don’t like me for some reason. No idea why.”

*

In the beginning, hugs were only reserved for special occasions: Stalkers attempting to drag Nayeon away at the airport? This warranted a hug, because Nayeon would shake like a leaf.

Nayeon had been especially sneaky about them: Sitting in the business skylounge at the Incheon International, she sniffled unhappily, her eyes red-rimmed, her lip quivering, a high-necked martini glass in her hands. Sana had hugged her, because this was what Sana did; Jihyo had hugged her, because Jihyo was the younger older sister Nayeon never had and Momo had hugged her, because she didn’t want to listen to Nayeon’s complaints.

Then, Nayeon’s sad puppy eyes slowly zeroed in on Jeongyeon.

Jeongyeon shook her head.

Nayeon pouted.

Jeongyeon shook her head harder.

Nayeon stretched out her arms, the pout intensifying.

Jeongyeon stared. Nayeon stared back, pouted and made desperate grabby hands.

Jeongyeon, seated opposite of her, folded and put down the newspaper, stood up and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Let’s get this over with.”

Nayeon smiled, too much of a manipulative, devilish glint in her eyes for the gaze to be considered completely innocent, then she stepped forward and wrapped herself around her black-suited bodyguard. Jeongyeon silently counted to three, then:

“That’s enough.”

“Just a bit more,” Nayeon begged, her face buried in Jeongyeon’s front.

“That was already more. Let go.”

“I don’t want to! I'm sad!”

“I swear to God, Im Nayeon --  _ Jihyo _ !”

Jihyo didn’t care; she was busy rearranging some schedule on her cell phone and she didn't even look up. “Why should you be spared.”

Jeongyeon reached for the arms around her torso, caught in an ironclad grip and tried to loosen them. After a moment of silent wrestling, she managed to push them down, down, until Nayeon’s grip wandered down to her waist, her hips, her thighs and finally around her shins, with the girl herself sitting cross-legged on the floor.

Jeongyeon stepped out of the arms circling her legs, returned to her seat and sat down.

“No!” she said sternly, trying to hide her red ears and flushed cheeks. “Behave!”

“You are no fun at all, Yoo Jeongyeon,” Nayeon grumbled, then got up and returned to her own seat. She still looked shaken, but less so than before.

They exchanged a glance, full of fake annoyance, then Nayeon smiled and winked.

Jeongyeon quickly looked away.

It escalated after that. In the beginning, Jeongyeon would shake off back hugs, side hugs and front hugs after a maximum of three seconds, informing Nayeon of her dreadful body odor and that she didn’t want to wash up after hugging her.

But Nayeon, stubborn and enthusiastic, managed to stretch the time: Six seconds, seven seconds, eight seconds, nine seconds until one day, Jeongyeon was busy in the vast kitchen of Nayeon’s penthouse above the lab.

She made scrambled eggs, seasoned them, made sure they were just the right combination of golden and gooey parts, when Nayeon suddenly wrapped herself around Jeongyeon's back, peeking over her shoulder.

Jeongyeon tensed for only a moment, then continued cooking.

The circumstances were ideal: They didn’t have any kind of audience, which usually shortened Jeongyeon’s patience for skinship enormously; it had been a long day so Jeongyeon was tired; and Nayeon’s body odor, the one she pretended to gag at, was actually something that eased her into the end of the day. She enjoyed being surrounded by it, like she had been on that first day when they first met in the auditorium, and with the comfortable, Nayeon-shaped warmth clinging to her back, the scent of the girl made her tension seep away.

“That’s boring food,” Nayeon said over her shoulder.

“If you want exciting food, cook for yourself or order take out.” Jeongyeon lowered the heat, then moved two steps to the side to open the cabinet above her head.

Nayeon followed her, still attached to her back and moved her head to rub her cheek against the space between Jeongyeon’s shoulder blades. “I’m banned by most take out services. My scathing reviews read too much like horror novels.” A chuckle. “I’m pretty proud of them.”

Jeongyeon rolled her eyes and took out the salt, pepper and some odd mixture Momo had come up with:  _ Herbs de Provence _ . It made any kind of scrambled egg taste like it was prepared by a chef. Jeongyeon wasn’t a big fan of the mixture, because it always felt like Momo was cooking half of the food, but she knew Nayeon was hungry and she didn’t want to listen to her whining.

She moved back to the pan, poked at the egg for a bit to prevent it from sticking, then added the seasoning. She could feel Nayeon’s forehead against the upper part of her back.

“You know, I can ask the chef to prepare something,” Nayeon said.

“He’s already gone home. Plus I like cooking,” Jeongyeon said, absentmindedly, while picking up a plate.

She transferred the contents of the pan onto the plate and took two pairs of chopsticks out of a drawer.

Nayeon’s chin was back on her shoulder. “It’s boring when you are offering half of it voluntarily. I’d much rather be stealing it from you.”

Jeongyeon shook her head, then scooped up a morsel, blew on it and offered it to the girl clinging to her. “Wanna explain to me again why this is part of my duties?”

“You are my protector,” Nayeon said. She took the bit of food that was offered to her and chewed happily. “If I’m not eating, I’m hurting myself, because I might lose weight.”

Jeongyeon huffed, rolled her eyes and picked up the second pair of chopsticks. “You literally have no sense of self-preservation, you built that new car thing in one day, yet you are too lazy to crack a couple of eggs.”

“I’m a genius at  _ some things _ , not all of them.”

“Go, take a seat,” Jeongyeon said. “I’ll get some water.”

Nayeon grumbled, but finally detached herself from her bodyguard, rounded the kitchen island and took a seat on one of the high bar chairs on the other side of it.

Jeongyeon set down the plate and chopsticks and then returned with glasses and a pincher filled with water, before taking a seat opposite of Nayeon.

“Want to talk about it?” Jeongyeon asked, setting the glass down in front of her.

Nayeon shrugged. “Not really. It’s …” She poked at the scrambled eggs. “It’s not even something specific, you know?” She looked up to meet Jeongyeon’s eyes and pursed her lips. It took her a very long moment to answer, then finally she said: “Sometimes things aren’t developing the way I anticipate them to, I guess - or maybe it just takes a bit more time, I don’t know.”

Jeongyeon knew the feeling. She was waiting for that German-manufactured bullet proof vest since almost eighteen months ago and it still hadn’t been thrown on the market. Sometimes things just took such a long time, even though the first couple of products from their line had been spat out regularly, one every year, just in time for Christmas.

“I know what you mean,” Jeongyeon said.

“You do?”

Jeongyeon shovelled some egg into her mouth. “Yeah … I’ve been waiting for a kevlar product. From Richter & Kaiser, you know. Hasn’t arrived yet. Not sure what’s going on.”

Nayeon seemed … surprised and a bit disappointed by the answer, but the expression quickly disappeared. “Maybe there has been insufficient communication with a supplier and now everyone is just waiting for a sign.”

Jeongyeon blinked once, twice. Insufficient communication with their supplier? She directed her gaze at the girl in front of her. “Aren’t you their supplier? I mean, isn’t Im Technologies their supplier?”

Nayeon stared at her as if she had made a particularly bad joke.

When Jeongyeon didn’t add anything, Nayeon frowned. “Are you - are you serious right now?”

“Yeah! Isn’t Dahyun the one that develops eco-friendly, compostable, soy-based kevlar for them?” Jeongyeon snorted. “If Sana is involved as well, that stuff even sparkles. And those two are always punctual. Why would their supplier be delayed?”

“Jeongyeon -”

“That’s extremely unlikely. Maybe you should talk to them. It would be really great if I’d get that vest by Christmas, because - don’t get me wrong, eonnie, I’d throw myself in front of you anytime, but I kind of need my turtle shell to hide in, otherwise someone will get hurt.” 

Nayeon stared harder, then blinked. “I don’t think I’m hungry anymore.”

“You don’t want to eat anything anymore?” She felt a little disappointment she couldn’t quite place, as she watched Nayeon stand. 

“No. Sometimes I just …” She cast her a look. “Sometimes my appetite seems like an elusive thing.” She looked at Jeongyeon for a last time, then gave her a wave. “See you tomorrow. Don’t forget to pack up your bikini.”

“You wish!”

Even though she couldn’t see Nayeon’s face as she walked away, she could see her smirk and saw her wave as she disappeared into the back of the apartment to her bedroom.

Jeongyeon watched her leave, emptying her plate before she placed it into the dishwasher. Navely appeared on the screen attached to the dishwasher, thanking her for it. 

“Navely?”

“Yes, my prince?”

Jeongyeon cringed particularly hard at that kind of nickname. “Could you just - could you not -” She took a deep sigh. “Just want to check everything for tomorrow again.”

“Certainly, love of my life.” Navely winked at her, then the screen changed to a list for tomorrow’s schedule.

Jeongyeon knew the biggest challenge would be to get everyone out of bed in time to reach the airport. Jihyo had promised to look after the labmates, but had dumped Nayeon to Jeongyeon.

Technically it was fair, because  _ Jeongyeon _ was Nayeon’s bodyguard, but then again, Jeongyeon was Nayeon’s  _ bodyguard _ , not her babysitter - and Nayeon was infamously difficult to get out of bed before 8 o’clock.

“Thanks, Nav. I -”

“Do you want to sleep here, hotshot?” Navely asked.

Jeongyeon eyed its happy face. Sometimes that thing scared her - it scared her, because she forgot that it wasn’t human. Chaeng had done a really good job, programming that thing.

For a moment, she considered taking the couch. It would take her less time to get here in the morning, she could take the small bathroom to freshen up and she knew Nayeon generally liked it when Jeongyeon stayed the night.

For someone with such a big house, she felt lonely almost all the time.

“I’m sure the Queen of Mars wouldn’t mind,” Navely tried to be helpful.

Jeongyeon rolled her eyes. “Of course she wouldn’t mind.” 

“Would you mind?” Navely asked.

Jeongyeon turned toward the fridge, where Navely’s face was currently located. “What?”

“Would you mind staying here? My list of reasons for you to spend the night only contains positive reasons and not a single negative one.”

“It’s … not - I -”

“Would you like me to list it?”

Jeongyeon stared. “What?”

“The list, my currently slightly-slower-than-usual love of my life. Would you like to hear it?”

“I … ah. I … sure?”

Navely smiled brightly. “Economical reasons: It would take thirty-two minutes with current traffic to get you home, another thirty-three to get ready for bed and your sleep quality is, on average, thirty-three percent below the average of your sleep quality in this house.” Navely smiled. “You like to do stuff in the thirties, don’t you?”

Jeongyeon stepped closer to the fridge, facing the computer. “I - what? Just wait a second - are you implying I’m sleeping better here at the lair - I mean, Nayeon’s house than at home?”

Navely smiled. “I don’t have to imply it.”

“Even on the couch? It’s even better on the couch?”

“Especially on the couch, but there are also vast improvements when you are sleeping in the pool house or in the _ Queen of Mars' _ bed.”

“Yah! When have I ever - oh. Right.”

“That is my first sleep data set of you,” Navely said. “Do you want to see it? I was quite impressed by it.”

“Wha- no! No. I just - I’ll just -”

“Should I wake up the Queen of Mars to inform you that you would like to join her?”

“What, no! Navely, no! Just -  _ yah _ ! I don’t want to sleep in her bed! Ever again! It was a lapse of judgement in a difficult situation, that one time, because she was unwell and I wasn’t in the best place either and - just tell me where the goddamn pillows are, I’ll take the damn couch.”

“As you wish, my love,” Navely said. “Follow me.”

The face disappeared from the fridge and reappeared on a small screen in the living room. Jeongyeon followed it to a closet in the corridor, which had dark double doors looming at the end of it that were able to camouflage and phase into the wall.

Jeongyeon tried to ignore their existence, while she rummaged for pillows and blankets. Those very doors led to Nayeon’s bedroom. Jeongyeon hadn’t been in it for some time, but remembered it quite well. She also remembered sleeping in there, with Nayeon holding on to her, almost desperately clinging to her.

Despite having a heavy, breathing weight against her chest and a leg wrapped around her, she remembered sleeping like stone.

Because of the alcohol, she was sure of it.

Solely because of that. Solely.

*

(Parties at the large mansion Nayeon called her home were easily, what Jeongyeon identified as her biggest nightmare - both personally and professionally.

Personally, because she abhorred loud music, semi-darkened rooms with people in there in various states of undress, the exchange of all kinds of bodily fluids and the usage of too much alcohol. It made people lose control and Jeongyeon valued control above all things.

Professionally, it was a nightmare, because the mansion was huge and she had lost sight of her boss, as she skimmed through masses of party goers in the living room, looking for a girl dressed in a golden ensemble with a tiara in her hair, fashioned from stars.

Im Nayeon was nowhere to be seen. Jeongyeon had lost sight of her during the first event that extended the usual, daily commute and Nayeon’s business meetings.

Jeongyeon cursed inwardly. Why couldn’t she have just stayed with her friends? There was a room at the back of the mansion, inconspicuous, the door in a corner, next to a large, potted bamboo plant. From the outside, it looked like it might lead to a closet or to a storage room, but when Nayeon had shown it to her during her tour through the mansion, she was surprised that it contained a cozy library with a pool table in the middle.

Jeongyeon wondered why the library was hidden away; did Nayeon feel she had to hide away the fact that she might have bookworm-ish tendencies amongst her kaleidoscope of much more questionable character traits?

Jeongyeon didn’t feel that reading was something to be hidden away, but Nayeon seemed to feel that it didn’t fit with the rest of her bachelor-pad like mansion.

Nayeon’s friends from the company - Momo, Jihyo, Tzuyu and Chaeyoung - had happily spent their time there, playing pool and sipping on some mocktails. Neither of them seemed to want to join the proceedings outside. They were completely content with each other and Jeongyeon wished for Nayeon to join them.

On her quest to find her employer, Jeongyeon stumbled upon some things she expected, yet still wished she would have been able to avoid. When she had still been babysitting rich kids, wanna-be-starlets and spawns of chaebol, she had experienced the hedonism of the elite. One of the reasons that she had started working for Bona was that Bona, in comparison to her colleagues, had not been too much of a party animal, although she sometimes indulged in that lifestyle.

Jeongyeon carefully stepped over some unconscious people, by the door when she left the library; they had definitely had too much alcohol and she called security on them to arrange for a car home. One of her tasks today was to make sure the house was empty of guests by four in the morning.

She went down the long corridor, leading away from the library to the vast living room. People were standing around in small groups, some of them were dancing. A heavy scent of earthy smoke hung mid-air and she tried hard to ignore it.

Someone puked in one of Nayeon’s potted plants and she called for another security officer when that person fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Still, no Nayeon in sight.

Nayeon had hired bar keepers to mix drinks, so the open kitchen was flooded by folks, trying to get something, so she took longer to comb through each and every person there, only to notice that Nayeon wasn’t there as well. She also didn’t find her on the veranda, which meant that Nayeon, maybe, was upstairs, where the guest rooms were located.

She watched the staircase leading upwards to the second floor with some trepidation and braced herself. Bedrooms in combination with alcohol usually didn’t bring out the best in people. Jeongyeon, despite perfecting her completely unshakeable facade, preferred to fight off masses of crazy fans if it meant not to peek into various bedrooms and witness  _ God knows what _ .

It usually made her want to bleach her eyeballs.

She ascended the stairs and a giggling couple almost bumped into her. The thrumming bassline was nothing more than an irregular heartbeat, barely reverberating in the walls. She could hear soft conversations from somewhere - there were a couple of armchairs and a coffee table which had attracted a group of happy, sleepy stoners and that was it.

The first door on the left led to an empty bedroom, with the sheets in disarray. Whatever this bed had seen this evening, it was over and Jeongyeon scratched the room from her list. Someone seemed to be emptying the contents of their stomach in the bathroom and a quick glance inside showed her that it was one of the accounting guys from human resources. From the looks of it, the worst was yet to come for the man: he looked thoroughly drunk and Jeongyeon was sure his hangover the next day would be enough to fry his brain.

She met Sana and Dahyun who were on the way downstairs to the library; for a moment, she wondered if they had been the cause for the chaotic sheets in bedroom number one: Sana giggled, hanging on to Dahyun like a particularly attractive coat, whispering sweet nothings into the smaller girl’s ears, who was flushed all over.

Jeongyeon could tell that she liked whatever Sana was telling her, but abhorred the fact that there might be an audience. When she met Jeongyeon’s eyes and Jeongyeon gave her a reassuring smile, she smiled back, but had to fight off her affectionate girlfriend at the same time.

Her face was covered with pink kiss marks and her hair was in disarray, but - Jeongyeon was the first person to admit it - she looked lovely. From what she had heard of the girl, she was kind and sweet and a genius atop of that, so she understood what Sana loved about her.

“Should I help you get her down the stairs?” Jeongyeon offered when she finally met them.

Dahyun shook her head and craned away when a giggling Sana tried to kiss her. “She’s always like that, don’t worry, I’ll manage.”

“Is she drunk?” Jeongyeon asked, then looked at Sana. “Are you drunk?”

“No,” Sana giggled, completely enthusiastic, then leaned forward to kiss Jeongyeon’s cheek.

Jeongyeon skillfully ducked away and lifted her hands in a mock martial arts gesture. “Hey! No kissing!”

Sana just giggled and Dahyun rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t need to drink to be like that. I’ll get her downstairs.”

“Try not to get distracted,” Jeongyeon gently teased her, which made Sana giggle louder.

“Yes, Dahyunie.” She nosed her way up Dahyun’s jugular vein and Jeongyeon watched with some fascination as Dahyun turned beet-red in realtime. “Try not to get  _ distracted _ ,” she purred.

Dahyun’s annoyed eye roll wasn’t convincing at all, as she dragged the girl along. “Come on, you.”

Jeongyeon watched them leave and managed to mirror Dahyun’s annoyed eye roll when Sana cast her a glance over her shoulder and threw her a kiss, before clinging to her girlfriend again.

Jeongyeon felt a cold gust of wind curling around her legs and looked up. Someone had opened the balcony door by the end of the corridor. She wondered if Nayeon had gone out to get some fresh air. Besides some large potted plants and a couple making out on the lounger, next to the glass doors, the balcony was empty.

Jeongyeon ignored the pair as much as they ignored her and stepped to the handrail. The sight up here was glorious, she had to admit: Before her was the city of Seoul, strewn out like a carpet made from light and stars. She could see Namsan Tower in the distance and Han River curling its way through the buildings.

The sight just beneath her wasn’t quite as exciting: A generous sundeck sprawled out below with one of those swimming pools that looked like the water would go right over the edge. People were in there, some completely naked and … busy with each other, Jeongyeon realized, but none of them was her long-lost boss.

However she identified an old acquaintance: As the current face of the Constellation line, Bona was invited to the party as well. She and some members of her entourage had claimed the jacuzzi that was separated from the main pool.

Bona sat there in a white bikini Jeongyeon had never seen before, her arms resting on the edge of the jacuzzi. A girl was half sitting on her lap, her lips moving up Bona’s clavicle to her throat, where she busied herself.

Bona didn’t seem to care or even acknowledge that the girl was there when she took a sip from her cocktail. She seemed bored and disinterested at best, surveying the crowd. Then she suddenly lifted her eyes and met Jeongyeon’s glance.

Bona lifted an eyebrow at her and smirked, then raised her cocktail in a silent cheers towards Jeongyeon’s direction. Jeongyeon felt ... feelings that were still there, that had taken on the form of a cold stone fell into her watery stomach. It wasn’t jealousy - probably. She had long given up on the jealous part, but something more uncomfortable arose.

The question that came, she suspected, to everyone with affections that weren’t returned: Why not me?

Jeongyeon swallowed dryly and averted her glance when somewhere from the water between Bona’s legs, the head of a man emerged. He laughed and made quite a show of licking his lips, Jeongyeon could tell.

It was more than enough for her to turn away. It was more than enough for one night, too, but she still hadn’t found Nayeon.

When she looked to the side, hoping for something - anything - but naked bodies and people making out, her eyes fell to the balcony beside hers. It was attached to Nayeon’s spare office.

There was a figure, dark against the illuminated sky, balancing on the broad handrail. She swayed to one side, her arms like wings, one hand holding another cocktail.

Jeongyeon recognized her immediately and she cursed under her breath, then stormed out.

Of course, the girl she was looking for was in the last goddamn room of her route. Of course she couldn’t have just fallen asleep behind her desk, but instead … 

She ripped open the door to the office next door and crossed the room. The wall behind the desk consisted of glass panels, the door ajar. And behind it, was Nayeon in front of the inferno that was the lights of the city.

She giggled when she noticed Jeongyeon’s angry face. “Miss Bodyguard!” she exclaimed. “Fancy seeing you up here!”

“Come down. Now.”

The fall was … sixty-two levels with a plane of beton greeting her below. She had to get her down quickly.

Nayeon hiccuped. “Nooo. I don’t want to. You come up here!”

“Nayeon-sshi -”

“It’s funny,” Nayeon said, her voice wistful, as she strutted down the handrail like a ballet dancer on a rope. “When I’m sober, I’m deathly afraid of heights. Now look at me!”

“I want you to come down,” Jeongyeon said. “It’s way too dangerous for you up there.”

Nayeon met her eyes, her own eyes way too wet. She wasn’t crying, Jeongyeon knew, but she was way too drunk. “You think it’s too dangerous for me to be up here? I think it’s way too dangerous for me to be down there as well.”

“I’m sure you feel that way, but I promise you, we can sort this out.” Jeongyeon reached out with a hand. “Come on, take it.”

“Are you afraid of heights, Miss Bodyguard?”

“I’m … not a big fan of them,” Jeongyeon said slowly.

Nayeon eyed her, searching for something in her expression, then suddenly smiled. It was like an explosion of light on her face, even though the smile was slightly uneven. “So you  _ are _ afraid of heights?” She snickered. “Have I hired a bodyguard who is afraid of heights?”

“There’s a big spectrum between being afraid and not being a fan. I won’t voluntarily go up there, but if that is what it takes, I will definitely follow you,” Jeongyeon said. “What do I need to do so you step down?”

Nayeon’s eyes flicked to Jeongyeon’s, then down into the abyss beyond her. Finally, she crouched down and hugged her own knees, patting the space next to her. “Come on, sit.”

“Do I have to? The balcony seems a lot nicer and there are loungers too.”

Nayeon got up and produced a rather shaky pirouette.

Jeongyeon’s arms shot forward. “Okay, okay! Geez.” She stepped closer and then carefully hoisted herself onto the handrail. It was broad enough to provide space for her entire bottom, but its surface was cold and she tried not to think about the chasm beyond and Nayeon being way too relaxed about it. “This is blackmail, just so you know.”

“I asked nicely first,” Nayeon said and bent down again.

Jeongyeon gathered her hands in her lap and crossed her legs by the ankles, trying to breathe. “Now what?”

“Now what?” the young woman echoed. “You followed me up here, like you promised, and I am more careful, like I kind of promised through implication and we both reached some sort of compromise, right?”

“Right. But I’m afraid I cannot accept this compromise. You have to come down,” Jeongyeon said to the girl crouching next to her.

“What are you offering in exchange?”

Jeongyeon inhaled. “That’s not how this works. Ideally I would not have to ask you to look after your own safety. You’d do this by yourself.”

Nayeon snorted. “So essentially you are asking me to make good decisions?” Her expression was blank for a moment. “Sometimes I forget that you’ve only been working here for a month.”

“Why don’t you come down and join your guests?”

“I’m trying to make good decisions here,” Nayeon smiled. Then, off Jeongyeon’s confused glance, she elaborated. “I can be a bit - intense.”

“No kidding, Sherlock,” Jeongyeon huffed.

“Yah.” The girl swatted her shoulder. “You are supposed to be on my side!”

“I am. I just don’t understand - you have friends. They seem, well, wonderful,” Jeongyeon said.

“They are. They truly are. And I love them, but - you know, Sana and Dahyun are so dreadfully happy sometimes, as is Momo who likes to smooch my biggest competitor -”

“Someone from the Samsung people?”

“What? No! Ew. No. You know who Myoui Mina is?”

“No …”

“Have you been living under a rock? She’s - have you seen that girl that appears whenever you turn on a Myoui TV?”

“Who says ‘Welcome home’? That girl?”

“Yes.”

Jeongyeon looked surprised. “Momo is  _ dating her _ ?”

“Yeah - she also happens to be heir to the Myoui Empire, but thankfully she’s so trustworthy and honest and kind and friendly that she’s almost unsuitable for the job.” Nayeon grimaced like she had bitten into a particularly sour lemon. “I like her so much, you have no idea. It’s disgusting.”

“So - you are in love with Momo’s girlfriend?” Jeongyeon suggested. It earned her another swat.

“No!  _ God, no!  _ What’s wrong with you today? Why would you think that? Just because I like someone a whole lot doesn’t mean that I want to sleep with them! Geez!”

“I didn’t say you wanted to sleep with them, I asked if you were in love with her,” Jeongyeon clarified. She wanted to swat her back, but she didn’t have much trust in Nayeon.

Nayeon seemed to sober up by the minute and that comment made her sober up by the second, as she looked at Jeongyeon - really looked at her. “I love her,” she clarified slowly. “I’m not _ in love _ with her. I don’t fall in love with decent people, as a rule.”

“Why not?”

Nayeon shrugged. She swayed a bit on the tips of her shoes. “Don’t know. I guess otherwise my relationships could be successful, you know?” There was a moment of silence.

Jeongyeon shivered, because it was getting cold outside.

“What about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Who are you falling in love with?”

Jeongyeon thought about Bona by the pool. “That’s none of your business,” she said. When Nayeon pouted at her, she sighed. “I’m not a big relationship person. My work is my relationship.” She realized the mistake the moment she said it.

Nayeon’s face brightened. “So I’m your relationship?”

“In a purely professional way!” Jeongyeon said quickly. “Yah!” She slid off the handrail and turned to face the girl. “Now come down from there. It’s way too high and way too cold.”

Nayeon pouted then stretched out her arms. “Make me,” she said, her voice deliberately cute.

“Really?”

“That’s the compromise.” Nayeon made grabby hands.

Jeongyeon sighed, long-suffering and unnerved, but then turned around, showing the girl her back and reaching out. “This is for emergencies only.”

“You are no fun at all,” Nayeon complained, but slid from the handrail onto Jeongyeon’s back, holding on tightly.

_ So she’s a hugger _ , Jeongyeon thought and hoisted her up with some force to make it more comfortable for both of them. She felt Nayeon wrap herself comfortably around her body, even though they didn’t know each other very well yet.

“What now.”

“Bed,” Nayeon said. “'m tired.”

Jeongyeon started to move, aiming for the bedroom downstairs.

Nobody cared for her carrying their host downstairs. People were either too intoxicated or considered the sight of someone being carried away something so regular at parties like this that Jeongyeon didn’t even earn a glance.

Jeongyeon only knew where the master bedroom was because of the tour: the door was hidden in a wall that was made from a material that could change appearance. Currently it looked like a panelled wall, easily easing into the surrounding material. It was so perfectly embedded into the wall that the opening was next to invisible. When Jeongyeon approached the door, there was a familiar giggle from a hidden speaker - Navely, Jeongyeon assumed. Then the door swung open.

The bedroom was large and spacious, with a glass wall to the right, leading to a balcony that was not accessible from anywhere else in the building. The bed was large and simple, cut from light wood and polished. There was a door ajar, left to the bed - it led to the private bathroom. Except for an empty desk with a glass surface and an armchair in one corner, the room was more minimalistically furnished than Jeongyeon had expected it to be.  _ Bauhaus _ at its finest.

“You know, I think your previous bodyguards might have quit because you are so annoying,” Jeongyeon grumbled, carefully setting her boss down on the bed.

“Bold words for someone who has only worked here for a month,” Nayeon mumbled against her throat, then let go of her and simply let herself fall back.

Nayeon was already half asleep when Jeongyeon turned to face her.

She bent down and started to remove her high-heeled shoes, then sat there for a long moment, wondering if it was necessary (or appropriate) to remove her dress as well. She decided against it, but took off the girl’s earrings and her necklace and carefully placed it onto the nightstand.

“Do you really think I’m annoying?” Nayeon asked, her speech slurred by sleep.

Jeongyeon dragged off the second shoe. “Yes.”

“Are you going to quit?”

There was a pause, then: “No.”

“Why not?”

“I can work better like this,” Jeongyeon said. “I can channel my annoyance into my work.”

“So - when I stop annoying you, you will leave?” Nayeon asked, her voice suddenly small.

Jeongyeon took a deep breath. “Try to sleep. You’ll have a major headache tomorrow.”

“Please answer the question.”

“Something like that,” Jeongyeon said and draped the blanket over Nayeon’s body. “Just sleep.”

She could see the smaller girl regarding her in the semi-dark of her bedroom, the bassline nothing more than a faint heartbeat coming from outside. Given all the craziness outside, it was a strange kind of oasis in here. Considering how hidden it was, similar to the library, Jeongyeon suspected these rooms were close to Nayeon’s heart, where she was hiding things that were important to her.

“Will you keep me company?”

Jeongyeon’s smile was somewhat crooked. “I’m your bodyguard and there’s a bunch of really crazy people out there. It’s sort of my obligation to keep you company.”

Nayeon wriggled out her hand from under the blanket and patted the spot next to her.

“No.” Jeongyeon shook her head from her spot by the edge of the bed.

“So you’ll just be sitting there until the night ends?” Nayeon yawned, but her voice was slightly laced with gentle teasing.

Jeongyeon looked around. “I’ll sleep on the armchair,” she said.

“With a perfectly good bed in the same room? I won’t bite, I promise.”

“It’s not that - we have to keep at least some professional distance,” Jeongyeon said.

“Or what? The bodyguard association of Korea will kick you out?” Nayeon turned to her side and looked up at the girl from the bed.

“I can’t make good decisions if you are too close,” Jeongyeon said.

“Good decisions are overrated,” Nayeon said, slightly sleepy. “At least sleep in the bed. I can’t fall asleep when somebody is sitting like that in an armchair opposite of my bed, staring.”

Jeongyeon eyed the bed warily. It was enormous, no doubt. Being asleep, you probably needed Google Maps to navigate it. And Nayeon looked terribly small on it. It was surprising that such a small body could contain such an enormous ego.

“Goddammit.” She moved to the edge of the bed and sat down. “Goddammit,” she mumbled again, and then started to reach down and removed her shoes, before putting them in front of the armchair. Her black jacket followed, folded neatly on the armchair. Then her tie, also on the armchair.

She liked the armchair for some reason.

Then she opened the first two buttons of her shirt. Breathing immediately felt easier. The soft thrumming of the bass gentler, the air suddenly less sticky.

She had had worse evenings, worse parties. Following drunk rich kids around, punching in noses for them.

If Nayeon would spend the night in this bed, it would make her job immensely easier. She stared at the silhouette of the young woman in the bed and took a deep breath.

Anything that got the job done. Why, however, did a part of her feel like she was taking the easy route?

Nayeon turned again in the darkness, until she could see her. Jeongyeon could make her out, blinking, before finally drifting to sleep.

She wondered briefly just what else her protection job here would entail. Nayeon’s physical safety was a big part of it, but she didn’t realize it included running after the woman and dragging her off random handrails. She hadn’t met Nayeon’s friends properly, except for Jihyo, but she already knew that Jihyo too was protecting the older woman.

The way she was worried about her, the way she treated her with affection and with an insistent kind of care. Jeongyeon was aware that Nayeon was able to build big and incredibly wonderful things. That she was talented on so many levels - she remembered a photography exhibition from a few years ago; black and white pictures from the streets of Seoul, each of them soul-baring.

It felt strange to Jeongyeon, that someone who had such obvious problems connecting with people was able to see and observe them so well. Maybe one caused the other.

Jeongyeon hadn’t expected someone who was able to build so precise and perfect machinerie, to be so catastrophically chaotic as a person. Apparently, the notion that it took a machine to build one was wrong.

She listened to Nayeon’s calm breathing in the dark room and for a moment wondered what she had gotten herself into. She realized that she didn’t hate it - didn’t hate being here. It was a challenge, definitely, but at the same time she wondered if she could give Nayeon what she wanted.

The eyed the bed again and then, slowly sat down on the edge. Nayeon was so far away from her, that even outstretched, she wouldn’t be able to touch her. She lifted the blanket and afraid she would change her mind, quickly slipped under.

Pressing close to the edge, ready to get out any moment, she tried not to give in to sleep that easily. Tried not to give in to faint scent of Ylang Ylang and Jasmine, to the soft cotton against her cheek; tried to remember that she was here to do a job and that was to  _ protect Nayeon _ from whatever was outside that door ...

(Drunk kids so intoxicated that they wouldn’t be able to find Jeongyeon’s face to punch it if a big, red, blinking red arrow would point at it.)

… and that’s why she had chosen the spot located between the door and her helpless, sleeping boss behind her.

It was the thought she fell asleep to.

Somewhen in the night - Jeongyeon’s watch told her it was half past three - she woke to a warm body pressed against her back, breath against her neck and the outlines of two fists squished between Nayeon’s clavicle and the upper part of Jeongyeon’s spine.

The girl had crossed the entire landscape that was her enormous bed to cuddle close.

It felt good and warm, with Nayeon’s shins pressed against her calves, with her breath slightly tickling the babyhairs on Jeongyeon’s neck. She felt a calm she hadn’t experienced before and with Nayeon’s scent enveloping her, cuddled close, it was a strange feeling to have someone trust her so unconditionally.

It was a stupid thing to do, Jeongyeon found, but at the same time admired Nayeon for her bravery.

The next morning, she found herself wrapped up and warm under her blanket. Nayeon was gone, her bed a mess.

The bassline was gone - somebody had turned off the music, but instead Jeongyeon could hear voices in the distance and light, classical music. For a moment she panicked, wondering if something had happened, and as she tried to free herself from the blanket, she got wrapped in it even more and with a dense “thud” sound, she fell to the floor.

The door opened moments later and classical music spilled into the room along with Nayeon. When she noticed Jeongyeon on the floor, she laughed. “What are you doing?”

“Trying - to get - up.” Jeongyeon wrestled with the blanket for a moment, before getting to her feet, eyeing her employer. “I see the house is still in one piece?”

“Yes.” Nayeon smiled and sauntered over. Jeongyeon tried hard not to notice certain things: that she wore a long, white dress shirt as pajamas, buttoned up except for the last three buttons that allowed for her skin to peek through and made Jeongyeon realize that she was not wearing a bra underneath or that her hair looked tousled in such a perfect way that Jeongyeon wondered if it was on purpose.

She stepped into Jeongyeon’s personal space without even hesitating and it took Jeongyeon all her self-control not to step back.

Nayeon smiled brightly, amused at Jeongyeon’s rigid posture, her nose almost brushing against Jeongyeon’s throat.

“What are you doing?”

Nayeon looked up at her, the smile deepening. “Making sure.” A beat. “You reek, Miss bodyguard,” she said, then pointed at the door next to the bed. “Go take a shower and change. Your presence is requested outside.”

Nayeon smiled and winked at her, then turned on her heel and left the room.

Jeongyeon watched her leave, then swallowed, before following her instructions. Was someone there to see her? Was she in trouble?

She removed all her clothing and stacked it neatly onto the stool by the shower and was ready to step into the small cabin, when the black screen by the wall came to life.

“Looking goooood this morning, love of my life!” Navely chirped and Nayeon almost took flight.

“What the hell?!” she snapped, covering herself with a towel.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to scare you, miss six pack. Or is it even Miss eight back?” The greenish creature on the screen winked. The wink produced a twinkling, crystalline sound.

Jeongyeon groaned. The amount of energy and work that had been put into that thing just to make her uncomfortable was astounding. “I want to shower.”

“Don’t let me be the one to stop you, sweetcheeks.”

Jeongyeon stared at the virtual assistant. “I can’t when someone’s watching.”

“As you wish,” Navely said. “I see you at breakfast, hotshot.” It winked and then disappeared and Jeongyeon managed to breath.

“That thing will be the death of me.” Then she stepped into the shower.

**

Clothing had been prepared for her - a black tracksuit with white stripes on the sides. It was Nayeon’s, she assumed, but two sizes too big for her, so it fit Jeongyeon well. After showering, she changed and padded outside, down the corridor and after crossing half of it, she realized the house was absolutely pristine.

Laughter was coming from the kitchen area and when Jeongyeon followed it along with the music, she saw Jihyo’s back first, on a high chair by the kitchen island, in a pair of pajamas, laughing at something. When Jeongyeon stepped further into the open area shared by the living room and the kitchen, she could make out Nayeon’s friends - the members of the special development department - gathered around the kitchen island, busy with breakfast.

Momo was standing behind the kitchen island, preparing poached eggs and some toast with the ease of an experienced cook.

Sana was the first to notice Jeongyeon. “Good morning.” Her smile was bright and the laughter hidden in her voice even brighter.

Seven heads turned: Dahyun, her face stuffed with toast, Sana next to her, a hand on her thigh, Momo who immediately filled the toaster with an additional pair of loaves, Jihyo, who immediately pulled out a chair for Jeongyeon, Chaeng who looked like she was run over by a truck, Tzuyu, tall, statuesque and right out of a catalogue for business wear and finally Nayeon, in charge of coffee distribution, filling up a bright, pink cup for Jeongyeon.

Jeongyeon hated that cup.

“Good morning,” Jeongyeon mumbled and stumbled closer. She considered refusing the offered chair for a moment, but part of her was hungry and another part of her considered herself on break. The party was over after all.

They watched her come closer, vaguely amused smiles on their faces. When Jeongyeon climbed the chair, a shaky moment of balance that could go either way, Nayeon filled up a cup of coffee. “How are you?”

“Mediocre,” she mumbled, trying hard to ignore Sana’s smile that was bright like the sun and giving her a headache, then clutched her cup. “I didn’t even drink anything.”

Jihyo smiled. “I’m sure it was the stress. Come on, eat something.”

Momo started to shovel poached eggs onto her plate, but the first thing Jeongyeon did was pick up her small bowl of rice. “Why are all of you here?”

“We always stay the night after a party,” Sana said. She poked Nayeon’s face and the other girl tried to fend her off. “To take care of this one, but it seems like we weren’t needed this time.”

“I’m not twelve,” Nayeon said, somewhat darkly.

Various people at the table snorted.

Jeongyeon pointed. “You have a pretty capable cleaning team.”

“Thank you.” Nayeon smirked.

Conversation started at the table once more and Jeongyeon listened silently, while filling her stomach. Nayeon, next to her, smiled all over her bunny teeth when Jeongyeon cast her a glance - and the bodyguard quickly looked away.

“Am I still annoying you?” Nayeon asked, leaning over, her voice tinged with amusement.

Jeongyeon smiled at her. “Very much.”

“Good.”)

_ * _

_ Fifty Shades of Awesome - Discord Server _

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: I TALKED TO HER!!! She works at BAE TRUST and DEVELOPMENT. Super fancy! And she’s super nice, too!

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: And it took u only what, lyke six months?? Stahp workin as a mall cop!

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: Shut it! Your girl has no idea why every person that’s interested in her is suddenly afraid for her.

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: Im establishing very special sec rules round da house! Not my fault they cant live by them.

AeongCat [ingame: Sims4]: ::sideeye:: U mean u scare them 2 death.

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: Hows Heejinnie these days, Hyun? Still dating da Blonde Bombshell(™)?

AeongCat [ingame: Sims4]: U mean “a” blonde bombshell. Lost count, dont care, just shoot me.

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: Dat can be arranged. How’s ur gurl, Jeong?

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: Jeong?

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: I know you are there, Jeong. Out with it.

OneYeon: She was drunk. Almost fell off the balcony, grabbed her and carried her to the bedroom.

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: Kink1! And then wut happened?

OneYeon: Nothing happened.

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: Do you wish something happened? You can’t be hung up on that Bona girl forever.

OneYeon: It’s a job.

OneYeon: Bona was at that party as well.

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: Ouch.

OneYeon: Got serviced by a guy and a girl at the same time.

AeongCat [ingame: Sims4]: Ouch x2. Wut about ur new client?

OneYeon: I don’t treat my job as a dating service. Hyunjin. Please.

ChuuProtector [ingame: Sims4]: Ur current boss is a philanthropist billionaire genius, looks like a supermodel if she weren’t, like 5’1’’ and in dire need of braces. Could be worse.

OneYeon: You forgot annoying and suffering from verbal diarrhea. Plus I can’t keep falling in love with my bosses!

Seul2Bear [ingame: Stardew Valley]: ::sideeye:: So you are already in love with her?? Jeong. That’s a record!

AeongCat [ingame: Sims4]: We approve! Invite us 2 the wedding.

OneYeon: I hate all of you.

_ OneYeon has logged off. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to @2yeonaus for the nice conversations about writing, to @babychocheee, @yoojeongie_ and @zyraaami for encouraging me on Twitter and to all of you who liked and commented here. Very special thanks, as usual, goes out to Isabel, my wonderful beta.


	3. three.

CHAPTER THREE

Jeongyeon somewhat dreaded all their business trips. Not only were they usually chaotic, you also never quite knew where you would end up. So far, Jeongyeon had visited: Various cruise ships, the antarctic, an island somewhere close to the Ivory Coast, six European countries in three days, every filming location of “Memories of the Alhambra”, a penguin colony and a ski resort in the Swiss Alps.

She preferred business trips where people didn’t try anything too dangerous - and with Nayeon, even a bumper car for six-year-olds proved to be difficult.

A visit to a tropical island resort of Im Technology’s newest eco-friendly chain of hotels seemed like a harmless school trip, until Chaeyoung had leaned against Jeongyeon in the car to the airport and whispered:

“Remember what happened in Jurassic Park?”

And suddenly Jeongyeon, despite the absence of dinosaurs and other genetically enhanced life forms had started to worry - because that was who she was and which made her good at her job. Nayeon had made her gain the ability to look at an object and immediately imagine how to stumble, choke or stab oneself with it.

Nayeon wasn’t worried. She was rarely worried; instead, she exuded happiness at the sheer prospect of getting out, spending time with her friends and maybe driving some construction engineers crazy by suggesting improvements on site.

The flight was uneventful and Jeongyeon regarded it as the calm before the storm. Two small black vans picked them up from the airport and drove them past a tiny, modern airport through lush, greenery past tiny villages to the vast ocean.

Jeongyeon was surprised by the hotel: While she expected a large concrete building by the sea, the cubic structure barely hidden by some superficial, palm-shaped decorations, it turned out to be a collection of tiny houses, built mostly from wood, nestled into the verdant forests creeping toward white beaches.

They pulled their trolley bags down small, tiled pathways toward the beach and Jihyo gave out keycards for their rooms.

“I bet the internet connection sucks around here,” Chaeyoung grumbled, her trolley bag following her like a rock being dragged over sandpaper. She had her laptop in her free hand, barely balancing it.

Tzuyu followed her and cast her tiny girlfriend a short glance. Then she reached out, her hand skimming past her shoulder and upper arm. “What do you need internet connection for?” Her voice was soft and the gesture didn’t last more than just a second, but Chaeyoung’s reaction was immediate.

She looked up at Tzuyu, the hand holding her laptop sinking somewhat to her side. She grappled for words, and then just managed a breathy: “... okay.”

And Tzuyu smiled at her.

Nayeon made barfing noises, effectively ruining the moment, as she dragged her luggage towards hut number two, Jeongyeon in tow.

“Last on the beach is a lame loser!” she called out.

Sana giggled, as she took the small path to hut number three. “I’m quite sure we are lame losers then, aren’t we, Dahyunie?”

Dahyun cleared her throat and avoided everyone’s glance, before ushering her girlfriend toward their abode for the time of the stay.

“Is Momo staying all by herself?” Jeongyeon asked, as she followed Nayeon toward hut number 1.

Nayeon shook her head. “No, only our designated straight friend will be by herself.” She motioned toward Jihyo. “I think she will be working too. Momo will get company by the day after tomorrow - Mina is a bit late.”

“I see.”

“Have you brought your bikini?” Nayeon asked.

Jeongyeon remained unimpressed. “No.”

“But how will you go swimming?” she asked and swiped the keycard along the entrance of their small house.

“Not in a bikini, that’s for sure.” Jeongyeon stopped her and squeezed in first, surveying the space.

A small, open kitchen on the left with a counter divided it from the rest of the small cottage. A room divider carved from wood with a semi-transparent piece of cloth draped over it hid the large bed in the back of the cottage. A door to the right led into the bathroom and Jeongyeon checked it out - just to make sure. In the middle was the living room - a TV, a small coffee table, armchairs and a carpet made for a cozy living space.

Nayeon followed her with an eye roll. “You are neurotic.”

“That’s kind of my job,” she said, as she returned and finally left her shoes by the door. “You couldn’t have picked one with two beds, could you?”

“Nope,” Nayeon said. She passed Jeongyeon with a smile and lifted her luggage on the bed, opening it to rummage in it and finally pulled out something that looked suspiciously like a bikini. “Admit it, you enjoy sleeping in a bed with me. After all, you have less nightmares, then.”

Jeongyeon didn’t comment on it. “You can’t swim.”

“But I can show off at the beach and get myself a little wet.” She smiled when Jeongyeon deliberately didn’t look up. “Should we all just get a little wet?”

“I hate you,” Jeongyeon said dryly. “Especially now.”

“No, you don’t.”

Their eyes met and Nayeon laughed, almost too happily, and Jeongyeon felt herself being swept away by her outrageous optimism and shameless flirting.

The moment didn’t last very long, because Nayeon held her glance and then, without even batting an eyelash, removed her shirt.

Jeongyeon turned around, feeling heat rise immediately. “Yah! Why - God, why -  _ come on _ !”

Behind her, all she could hear was a giggle. “You’ve seen me naked so often by now.”

“ _ Not voluntarily _ !” Jeongyeon said and fled to the living room. “Seriously!” She took a peek at Nayeon’s silhouette behind the divider, her back curved like a bow when she discarded her clothing. It was enough for her to quickly look away and regard the flower arrangement in the living room like it was the greatest piece of art she had ever seen.

“Can you throw me the blue bag from my luggage?” she called out after a moment.

Nayeon didn’t reply, but after a moment, it came flying over the divider and Jeongyeon caught it. “I’m going to change. In the bathroom. By myself. Like every other normal person.”

“Who is boring and all that stuff,” Nayeon called out. “I’ll wait for you, just hurry up.”

Jeongyeon unpacked her swimwear from the small bag: it was a dark-gray shirt with the yellow Adidas logo on it and black shorts, reaching mid-thigh. When she left the bathroom, Nayeon was still busy changing and Jeongyeon took a seat on the ottoman by the coffee table, playing with her cellphone.

“I’m tired from the flight,” Nayeon said, padding close, barefooted from the sound of it.

Jeongyeon didn’t look up. “I know. Just get some sleep and you’ll be fine.”

Thin, light arms wrapped around Jeongyeon’s shoulders from behind and an index finger gently scrolled over the screen of her cellphone. “You need to install a stock market app.”

Jeongyeon turned slowly and was greeted by the sight of Nayeon, clothed in what she liked to consider, “next to nothing”. Her eyes flicked upwards from her chest, her ears turning pink. She could feel Nayeon’s upper body pressed against her back in all it’s details.

Jeongyeon cursed her for being the most attractive woman on the whole damn planet.

Nayeon didn’t seem to care. “Eyes up here, soldier,” she said, vaguely amused, then clicked on the browser and opened a stock market site, taking a cursory glance, her other hand dancing on Jeongyeon’s shoulder. The dance froze when she found what she had been searching for. “Navely.” She tapped the screen, moving onto the ottoman to sit besides Jeongyeon, one arm still around Jeongyeon’s shoulders. “I want you to buy those. If they fall beneath four hundred, let me know.”

Navely’s face flickered for a moment on Jeongyeon’s phone. “Yes, Queen.”

“Thank you.” She smiled and closed the browser window, before eyeing Jeongyeon. She was terribly close and Jeongyeon could see her lashes in all their glory. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Not a ghost, really, but - maybe you want to wear more clothing,” Jeongyeon suggested dryly.

Nayeon laughed. “Maybe  _ you  _ want to wear less clothing, hm?” She got up. “Come on, let’s go to the beach. We don’t want to be the loser couple.”

_ We are not a couple _ , Jeongyeon wanted to say, but couldn’t bring herself to. She had to talk to someone about this. It was getting out of control. She - Jeongyeon - was getting out of control. And what was even worse, a part of her  _ liked _ it.

She got up and allowed herself to cast Nayeon a glance. She was so goddamn pretty, that girl, and sometimes Jeongyeon just yearned - just wanted - just couldn’t -

“You are staring, Jeongyeon,” Nayeon said.

Jeongyeon followed her out. “Have you put on sun protection? You sure don’t look like it.”

“I have you to put it on,” Nayeon said and her hands wrapped themselves around her lower forearm, as she skipped down the path to the beach. Jeongyeon’s expression was stoic, while Nayeon smiled and tried to find a smile in Jeongyeon’s face. “You seem to be more grumpy than usual.”

Jeongyeon eyed her and tried her own bad attempt at humor. “It’s because there’s sunshine and the ocean and I can already hear Sana’s laughter and - God - are those dolphins?”

Nayeon caught her attempt immediately and smiled. “I bet you’ll be the only person around wearing shorts and a shirt in the water.”

“Someone has to,” Jeongyeon grumbled, but there was a tiny smile on her face.

Nayeon laughed as she dragged her along and it took Jeongyeon a moment to do something she rarely did. She would later chalk it up to the sun frying her brain: Her arm went around Nayeon’s hips loosely, resting on her hip bone.

Nayeon didn’t react much to it - but she could feel her lean in slightly. She liked it - she liked all kinds of skinship, Jeongyeon knew - and skinship from her was no different.

They made their way through the shade of the forest - and the sudden, blazing sunlight at the beach almost made Jeongyeon blind as Nayeon dragged her over to a couple of loungers under an umbrella. She fiddled for her sunglasses and her black NY cap, while Nayeon produced a gigantic, UFO-shaped straw hat and large Breakfast-at-Tiffany’s-sunglasses.

Somewhere in the distance before them, the ocean glittered, endless and perfect with a few figures splashing water at each other. Jeongyeon could hear Sana’s unmistakable laughter and could make out Dahyun’s smaller figure next to her.

Chaeyoung slept in a lounger next to her, an open bag of potato chips by her side, as she snored softly. There were crumbs all over her face and she was even drooling a little. Tzuyu, her girlfriend, on the other hand looked like someone straight from a swimsuit catalogue: Draped on the lounger next to Chaeyoung’s, the sun reflected in her large glasses. She wore a striped, white and red one-piece, otherwise just the sight of her would cause some nation to launch their entire nautical fleet.

Nayeon stole the sun protection from her bag and started to apply it on her forearms. “Wanna bet who is going to cry first?” she asked, as Momo pulled at Dahyun’s feet and Sana at her arms in the water.

There was a movement to their right and Jeongyeon turned her head just in time to see Jihyo sit down, with her laptop under her arm. “Sana, because Dahyun doesn’t want Momo to feel alone and when she looks after her too much, Sana will start crying.”

“Excellent theory,” Nayeon said, handing Jeongyeon the sun protection and pointing at her back. “Or Momo, for exactly the same reasons.”

For a moment, she considered asking someone else to help Nayeon, but couldn’t help herself and indulge her. It was like she had a weakness for the woman, as if she was the one black hole she was never able to avoid, no matter how bad an idea it was to get closer and drown in her.

Every. Single. Time.

“Mhm.” Jeongyeon squirted some lotion on her hands and started to distribute it on Nayeon’s shoulders, massaging it in. Nayeon held up her ponytail and Jeongyeon worked the oily substance up her neck.

People had even stopped commenting at their closeness. Initially, Jeongyeon had kept her close, because in some situations it was for security reasons: The amount of times she had dragged the girl around and shielded her with her own body was countless - along with the teasing they received afterwards.

Nayeon had played along as well, teasing Jeongyeon relentlessly, but after their first year, with Jeongyeon’s ears still turning pink whenever Chaeyoung had called her out on it, she had started to defend the younger girl.

Now, six years in, during long plane rides which Nayeon spent in their entirety on Jeongyeon’s airplane seat, stretched out next to her, nobody commented.

Nobody commented on Nayeon sitting between Jeongyeon’s legs as the younger woman pressed her hand between her shoulder blades, leaving behind the white shape of a hand, before massaging the sun protection in. Nobody commented when Nayeon leaned back after Jeongyeon was done and looked up at her, ear against her clavicle.

“Want to go into the water?”

Jeongyeon lifted an eyebrow at her. “You know I have to follow you should you want to go in.”

Nayeon eyed her, then took a deep sigh. Jeongyeon detected a bit of annoyance in there. “I wish sometimes you’d do things because you wanted to do them, not because you  _ have _ to because of your job.” She got up and without looking back made her way toward the beach.

Jeongyeon watched her leave and considered the irony of it all. Of doing things because she wanted to do them, not because she had to.

The last four years had solely taken place because of something she wanted and not something she had to do. In a way, it was the worst thing she had ever done.

She took pride in her job and considered herself a professional. By keeping her job as Nayeon’s bodyguard, it compromised her entire work life - given the fact that her work life balance was next to non-existent, this made it even worse.

A handful of potato chips was thrown at her.

She turned and flicked a single piece back at Chaeyoung next to her.

The girl peeked at her over the rim of her sunglasses. Her expression was similar to the one she wore when she observed some of Jihyo’s minions on the CCTV doing something incredibly stupid.

Jeongyeon eyed her, unimpressed. “What.”

Chaeyoung groaned, then opened her mouth once, twice to say something. What finally came out - and Jeongyeon knew the words were carefully chosen - was: “I think you have to follow Nayeon eonnie into the water. Otherwise she might drown.”

“Also, Mina lands in fourty minutes anyway. Momo will want to pick her up,” Jihyo said from the other side. “So she can’t drag her out of the water in your stead.”

“I don’t think she will drown that quickly,” Jeongyeon said, well-aware of what Chaeyoung was attempting and ignoring Jihyo.

All three of them looked in unison over at the water. Nayeon was riding on Momo’s back and Sana exclaimed, with Dahyun on hers: “Last one to be over at the rocks in a smelly loser.”

Chaeyoung allowed for that to sink in a second, then said: “Maybe you have to save all four of them.” Then she shook her head. “God, where’s Mina in these kind of situations? I’m afraid my brain cells, your brain cells and Jihyo eonnie’s brain cells aren’t enough to save these dorks.”

Next to her, Tzuyu started to move in the shade. “Chaeyoungie,” she said, turning on her stomach. “Can you cream up my back?”

Jeongyeon watched Chaeyoung stare at the white expanse that was her girlfriend’s back. Her tongue moved to moisten her lips and her voice was strangely strangled, when she said: “Sure.” Then she picked up the lotion. She looked like Tzuyu was her breakfast, lunch and dinner combined, while Tzuyu looked up at her with her large deer eyes, blinking once slowly and innocently.

“Chaeyoungie?” the youngest asked and Chaeyoung moved to do what she was asked to, almost falling off her lounger in the process.

Jeongyeon got up to follow Nayeon into the water, but not before asking her fellow no-jam bro: “How are your brain cells, Chaeng?”

Chaeyoung cast her an icy glance, which was quite the feat, considering the temperatures.

Jeongyeon smiled and then marched down to the beachfront and into the water. It was warmer and clearer than expected and indescribably beautiful, with small, colorful fish swarms flitting past Jeongyeon’s feet.

Sana was the first to spot her. “Look who decided to join us.” She held onto Dahyun’s legs by her sides, the younger girl holding on to her as she peeked over her shoulder.

Momo tried to lean back with Nayeon clinging to her, as Jeongyeon teetered over. “Momo - Mina’s plane will land in around forty minutes. I’ll take over your - your load.”

“So you are prioritizing the head of a business competitor over me, your long-suffering boss and best friend?” Nayeon asked from her back.

“Yes,” Momo said immediately, as Nayeon moved from her back to Jeongyeon’s.

“I thought you loved me,” Nayeon complained, wrapping her arms around Jeongyeon's shoulders.

“I love you, but I don’t want to see you naked.” Momo suddenly smirked, pulling up one corner of her lip, her eyes holding a very different glint. “I want to see her naked though.”

A string of complaints exploded immediately.

“Eww, eonnie.”

“Come on, Momo, we didn’t need to hear that.”

“You go, girl!”

The last words came from Sana and both Dahyun and Nayeon looked at her, shocked. Jeongyeon wished she was more surprised, but sadly had known Sana for too long to be.

Sana shrugged. “I’m just facing reality, like all of us should. So.” She gave Momo a wave, who had already started wading toward dry ground. “Last by the rocks over there is a smelly loser.”

“What’s with being a loser since we’ve come here?” Jeongyeon asked, but got ready nonetheless.

Sana shrugged. “Jihyo said I have to pay up if I use stronger words, since children are present.”

“I’m over twenty-one,” Dahyun complained from over her shoulder. “And I’ve lost my innocence a long time ago, thanks to you,  _ eonnie _ .”

Dahyun was able to hold on to the strictness in her voice for another six seconds, then Sana turned to look at her, her smile blindingly bright, as her eyes flicked to the girl’s lips for a moment, then back to her eyes, blowing her a kiss. 

Jeongyeon watched Dahyun almost melt off Sana’s back. “Okay,” she managed, looking anywhere but at Sana. Her cheeks were red, even under the shade of her yellow hat. “Let’s - let’s find out who's a smelly loser and get done with it.”

“Why are we doing this again?” Jeongyeon asked.

“There’s this thing, you might have heard about it, it’s called fun,” Nayeon said, lightly slapping her shoulder.

“Got sucked out of me the day I met you,” Jeongyeon mumbled, which earned her another slap.

The question remained however, why are we doing this again?

And the answer was easy: Jeongyeon was faltering on all fronts these days. There was only so much strength left and she felt herself folding under the smiles, the winks, the touches and, lately, the nudges of her friends. Yet, she knew, if she gave in to all of this, she’d have to leave.

She was Nayeon’s bodyguard before all else and actively endangering her life with her own partiality. Then again, maybe it was too late to think about that anyway. Six years too late.

Next to her, Sana got into position, Dahyun on her back.

“One,” Sana said.

“Two,” Nayeon followed.

“Three!” Dahyun exclaimed.

Nayeon’s grasp on her tightened immediately as Jeongyeon moved forward through the water toward the rocks in front of them. The waves started to gain both height and force - and one knocked them over, sending them spiraling under water. The ground was close and Jeongyeon could stand by tapping herself upwards again and again, but Nayeon was an entirely different matter.

Jeongyeon felt Nayeon cling to her, her face pressed against her throat. Nayeon could swim, but wasn’t a good swimmer per se and could barely do the starfish float. So when their heads bopped up again over the water, Jeongyeon could feel the girl’s usual iron-clad hold on her intensifying.

“You okay?” Jeongyeon asked.

Nayeon spat out some saltwater. “I’m going to kill Sana and Dahyun for it, but I’m alright. I think they swam the other way.”

Jeongyeon turned to see the beach behind her. Sana was busy helping Dahyun out of the water. When she noticed Jeongyeon’s glance, she gave her a wave and a wink.

Jeongyeon realized she had been set up.

“Not if I kill them first.” Jeongyeon looked around. “The rocks are close. Let’s take a break there and then get back.” She started to make her way over, tiptoeing over the sand barely beneath her feet.

It was a tiny rock formation, formed by volcanic activity, the stone black and covered with pores and warm enough to dry anyone’s clothing within moments. Nayeon let go of her back and started to climb the first rock of it, but Jeongyeon was faster: She easily made her way up to a small space, enough to sit, lean back and let the legs fall over the edge, then reached down and pulled Nayeon out of the water with a start.

The girl didn’t move for a moment, just silently stayed there, water dripping off her body onto the rock.

Then: “Thank you.” And sat down.

“You are welcome.” Jeongyeon took the seat next to her and leaned back. Something poked her between her ribs, and she felt a faint scratch under her thigh, but the sun and the sounds of the waves and happy voices in the distance made her calm down.

For a moment, they enjoyed just sitting there, in the warmth of the day. Nayeon kicked her feet into the water, the smaller waves licking up to her shins. She took a deep sigh and after a moment of deliberation, she leaned in, her shoulder against Jeongyeon’s upper arm, her head against Jeongyeon’s.

Jeongyeon flinched and Nayeon couldn’t help herself and snort. “You’ve carried, dragged, hugged, pulled, pushed and jumped me over the years - and you are still flinching?”

Jeongyeon shrugged. “Part of the job, I guess.”

“Hm.” Nayeon craned her head and looked up at the other girl, her face for a moment illuminated and bright, before looking down at Jeongyeon’s hands in her lap. She took one and started playing with her fingers. “Jeong?”

“Hm?”

“I’ve been thinking,” she said slowly, while playing with Jeongyeon’s fingers, like keys on a piano. “You know - you know that I have been … over the years, I have been kind of active with my love life, right?”

Jeongyeon snorted. “Yeah, I’m aware. I sometimes dragged them out, remember? Screaming too. One stabbed me with a fork.”

Jeongyeon expected her to laugh, but when nothing came, she looked down and met Nayeon’s dark eyes, a thoughtful glance in them.

“I am aware,” she finally said.

“And - there was never a girl that I kept. I think Jung Eun lasted the longest with five months?” Nayeon frowned. “Six?”

“Six. If we count your birthday party when she jumped out of the cake.”

“You didn’t want to jump out of the cake,” Nayeon said, swatting her slightly. The dark gaze Jeongyeon cast her was enough to make her double down. “Alright, alright. So -” She took a deep breath. “So yes, Jung Eun. And - I was thinking about that and that maybe I should find someone that I … that could last a little bit longer.”

Jeongyeon forced herself to breathe evenly, calmly, as if something big and catastrophic had happened and if she started to panic, people would die. She was good at pulling herself together in bad situations and this was prospectively a very bad situation. Nayeon wanted a new girlfriend. Nayeon wanted a new permanent girlfriend.

This was new. And potentially unsettling.

Jeongyeon had met so many girlfriends and had always known that they wouldn’t last very long. A glance was usually enough to tell if one girl would last or not. The idea that Nayeon would actively look for a girlfriend that would last was new. And Jeongyeon realized: She didn’t like the idea. Something within her started to simmer - warming something that had been there, all the time, but just dormant and it took Jeongyeon every bit of her willpower to not panic there and then.

“I see. I think that’s a good idea,” Jeongyeon said, staring back at the beach.

Sana chased Dahyun through the water until Dahyun stopped so abruptly that Sana bumped into her back. Dahyun almost stumbled to the ground and Jeongyeon could see Sana lean in, suddenly worried for the shorter girl, one hand on her chin, one on her side, checking on her. They had a short one-sided conversation with Sana asking if Dahyun was alright. The younger girl didn’t answer and then suddenly pulled Sana into a kiss, passionate and loving, her arms around Sana’s midsection, even managing to dip her back slightly, despite their height difference.

Then she let go, patted some non-existent sand from her pants and walked away, leaving Sana behind, completely floored.

When Sana started to run after her, Jeongyeon had to look away, envy brimming at the way those two interacted with each other.

“You think it’s a good idea?” Nayeon asked, leaning back a bit to take Jeongyeon in fully. Her eyes flicked in between Jeongyeon’s, searching for something she couldn’t find.

Jeongyeon swallowed. “Yes. Because - a stable relationship usually also stabilizes your daily life and I think you kind of need that. In between meetings and flights and travels, to come home to someone,”  _ Yes, Jeongyeon, to come home to someone. Why don’t you just take the knife of your own incompetence and use it to gut yourself emotionally. And then dance on the bloody innards.  _ She listened to herself continue like an idiot. “- and to be safe and happy is important, especially when living a life as chaotic as yours.”

Nayeon stared harder. “ _ Really? Y _ ou want me to find someone -  _ anyone _ \- and be happy with them _? _ ”

“Yes.” Jeongyeon bopped her head up and down like a robot. “You don’t think it’s important to come home to someone you love? Who do you have in mind?”

“I -” Nayeon seemed like she didn’t see this coming at all. She still stared at Jeongyeon like she had grown a third eye right on her forehead. “Mina is bringing one of her friends. Momo is fetching them from the airport.”

“Oh, so Mina is matchmaking you?” _ I’m sorry, Momo, but it seems like I have to kill your girlfriend.  _

“Something like that,” Nayeon said weakly. There was a silence, filled only by the crashing waves and the sunshine that suddenly seemed unbearable.

Jeongyeon hesitated, and then did something uncharacteristic; something that was reserved for emergencies only. She leaned in and hugged Nayeon against her chest, tight and loving, not letting go.

She could feel Nayeon stiffen and involuntarily return the hug.

“I want you to be happy, Nayeonie.”

Nayeon’s grasp on her grew tighter, so tight that she could almost feel her bones pop, before letting go of her. She looked up at Jeongyeon, her expression somewhere between shocked and disbelief. Some of it was directed at herself, Jeongyeon could tell.

“I want you to be happy as well,” Nayeon said.

Jeongyeon’s smile was a bit tight. “I  _ am _ happy.”

Something in Nayeon’s face retreated and Jeongyeon felt herself want to reach out and grasp it and keep it, but she couldn’t even put a name on it. They stared at each other for a long moment, searching for something in each other, their eyes only falling on sky high walls.

When Jeongyeon tried another smile, it made Nayeon give up. “Can you help me get back? To the beach?”

“Sure.” Jeongyeon tried to smile, but it was like a string pulled too tight.

At the beach, they found Sana on a lounger, laying atop of Dahyun, clutching on to the smaller girl like she was her saviour, her one and only. Both were fast asleep, intertwined with each other. There was Chaeyoung, sitting in the shade, looking like she had just been served the world’s greatest Michelin-priced meal, when Tzuyu emerged from the waves in a one-piece, large shades on her nose, throwing her hair over her shoulder, the water describing a perfect, sparkling bow midair; and then, emerging from the small path from the palmtree woods was Momo, smiling brightly and next to her, holding a tumbler that says Myoui Coffee, wearing a one-piece by Myoui Apparel and sandals that said Myoui Footwear was Myoui Mina herself.

Mina smiled - shy and happy at the same time, a wondrous appearance, glowing in the bright sun, the kindest girl Jeongyeon had ever met. Momo, next to her, was in a state of constant flux: being happy, melting all the time, holding on to her, bursting of sheer exuberance that her girlfriend was finally there.

That was not what was catching Jeongyeon’s and ultimately Nayeon’s attention, as Jeongyeon helped her to get out of the waves.

It was - The Match™ that followed them down to the beach.

Lithe, athletic and incredibly beautiful. She had the most perfect face Jeongyeon had ever seen, even rivalling Tzuyu’s with gently shaped eyes and friendly, beautiful albeit hesitant smile, a woman followed down the path. She gave a small wave when she met Jihyo’s gaze - of course Jihyo would know her. 

Jihyo met her halfway and smiled, hugging her.

"Irene," she greeted the other, new girl. She held her an arms length away and looked her up and down. "I'm so glad you could make it."

Irene smiled. She was so beautiful in hurt. "An invitation to a tropical island for an all-inclusive holiday? How could I say no."

Jihyo smiled and started with the introductions. “This is Irene Bae of Bae Trust and Development.”

Nayeon stared at the girl. Jeongyeon watched her straighten her posture, as if to brace herself for something. Jeongyeon found herself wishing it was heartbreak, then immediately felt bad for the thought alone.

Nayeon deserved to be happy, deserved love. She deserved that perfect, wonderful love to come home to somebody's smile and affection, purely reserved for her. Someone to help her shoulder her struggles, her inner demons, her genius that kept her from having a life just like everybody else.

The introduction reached Nayeon.

Irene's smile brightened. "I read about your Linux based operating system Laburi during my PhD course at the ETH in Zurich. It's brilliant."

Jeongyeon watched Nayeon's smile grow. The LaburiOS in general and Navely in particular were Nayeon's babies that Jeongyeon couldn't scoff enough about.

Nayeon smiled. "Navely likes to think so as well. Isn't that right, Navely?"

"Well, do I?" the sweet voice came out of Nayeon's smart watch. "Who is the pretty lady?"

Irene was impressed, just like most people during their first interaction with a digital assistant from the LaburiOS. 

Nayeon smiled. "Wanna get something to drink? You haven't met my new car yet."

"You brought the Other Car to this place?" Jeongyeon was shocked.

"No. I brought the New Car to this place." Nayeon was smug. "It's an SUV version of the Other Car, complete with an upgraded version of Navely. You'll like it. I’ll replace the Other Car with the New One."

"I don't need it. Especially on a tropical island, for God's sake. What would you need a gas-guzzling, show-off-ish tank-like, pink monster of a car in a place that's so small you can kick a soccer ball from one beach to the other?"

Jeongyeon was surprised by her own outburst. As was Nayeon, but what was even worse was that she was hurt by it. Her machines were by her own opinion, the only thing she was good at and to criticize and dislike them meant to dislike something similar to Nayeon's children.

"I would love to see your New Car," Irene said, not particularly helpful in the tense silence between Nayeon and Jeongyeon.

The uncomfortable silence stretched on.

Damn you, Irene, Jeongyeon thought, but outwardly she just scowled.

Nayeon scowled back.

"Can you help me with some of my luggage? Jeongyeon? I brought some work from back home." Jihyo moved between Nayeon and Jeongyeon, but their gazes met right over her head.

"Let's check out the car," Nayeon said, her gaze defiant.

Jeongyeon watched her go, for a moment completely helpless. A bodyguard without someone to protect. Someone tugged at her arm to turn her around and she found herself face to face with Mina, who first smiled then hugged her tightly. "Long time no see."

"Hey." A bit shaken, Jeongyeon stepped back and tried to ignore the worried glances of her friends, as Mina and Jihyo dragged her back to one of the cottages. Momo followed, a pout on her face. She had probably expected some alone time with her girlfriend.

When they arrived in the small cool cottage, Mina let go of her hand and Jeongyeon found herself standing in the middle of the room, the others circling her like moons to the Earth.

Jeongyeon didn't like the attention but there was no way around it.

"What was that?" Jihyo asked, and Jeongyeon wished for her voice to be sharper so they could have a screaming match that would make Jeongyeon feel better about Nayeon and worse about Jihyo.

Jihyo's gentleness and Mina's hand on her forearm made it impossible.

"Nothing. It was nothing.” She faced Mina. “Go, make out with Momo somewhere, I'll need some time to calm down." Jeongyeon let herself fall into an armchair and still, three people were looking at her. She wanted to hide away from their glances.

Did they know? Did they have any idea?

It was Momo who said something, her voice slow and deliberate. "I'm willing to follow your advice but one, Mina won't let me and two, you look terrible. You were in such a good mood when you went swimming with her. What did you do out there?"

Jeongyeon looked at them, at her friends, her voice terse, as she faced Jihyo: "Did you bring Irene here to matchmake her with Nayeon?"

They exchanged some glances Jeongyeon couldn't quite place, then Jihyo stepped closer and knelt in front of her. "Matchmaking doesn't work. You can only introduce two people and hope for the best -"

(Jeongyeon huffed.)

"- but that being said: Irene is a study friend of Mina’s and myself and she's very nice. And Nayeon mentioned she wanted to stop chasing and finally find some kind of forever."

Jeongyeon groaned. "But her? Nayeon needs someone she can butt heads with, not someone who looks at her like she's the next best thing after the invention of kimchi."

"What would you know about that, Yoo Jeongyeon?" Mina asked, leaning in, hovering over the kneeling Jihyo to look at her.

Jeongyeon eyed her and for a moment she considered fighting Mina - something that was a very, very bad idea. "I know everything about her. I know how she likes her eggs, how she despises two-layered toilet paper and how she abhors people who don't give their absolute, uncompromised best."

Mina, still standing, flicked her forehead.

"Yah!” Jeongyeon rubbed her forehead. “What was that for?"

"Your stupidity," Mina said. "Seriously, Jeong, after all these years?"

"After all these years _ what _ ?"

"I'm not going to say it if you are not going to say it," Mina said. Her expression was stern, something unusual on her usually kind face.

When Jeongyeon didn't answer, Momo groaned in the back. "If she wants to play dense, can we go to the beach? I'm hungry and I haven't even kissed you once since you've arrived."

Jeongyeon's face remained blank and she leaned back, watching Momo and Mina leave. Jihyo stayed with her, silent.

After a while she crossed her arms.

Jeongyeon sighed. "l know what you want to say."

"Do you?"

Jeongyeon looked up at Jihyo and shook her head. "I can't."

Jihyo opened her mouth to say something then closed it again. There was something similar to disappointment edged into her features.

Jeongyeon shook her head again. “I can’t, Jihyo.”

“Why would you risk your life for her, but not your heart?”

The answer was easy: One thing was painful, one was not.

“Mina is right, you know?” Jihyo stood at patted some imaginary dust off her t-shirt. 

Jeongyeon found herself in her cottage, later that night, with a chess board in front of her, along with a glass of soju. Nayeon was deep in conversation with Irene - they had the same interests, the same background, Irene got Nayeon’s sense of humor, Nayeon was able to understand what Irene’s Phd had been about. They had spent the evening on Dahyun’s and Sana’s veranda, talking, along with Jihyo, Momo and Mina. All three had cast Jeongyeon worried glances, while Nayeon hadn’t cast her a single one.

Finally, when Nayeon had laughed again, Jeongyeon had left them; it had been enough, it had been too painful, Irene had been too nice, too friendly, too beautiful, too kind. She was so perfect that Jeongyeon immediately liked her.

It totally sucked.

And now Jeongyeon was sitting there with that chess board, despite the fact that she wasn’t playing chess, with soju in front of her - and she eyed her opponent.

The opponent was currently restricted to her cellphone and filled out the entirety of the screen: Tiny, green, smiling brightly. Navely’s camera was aimed at the board. Jeongyeon had put a small, ceramic figurine of a hula girl behind the cellphone to keep her standing upright.

(“You know, love of my life, there is a casing particularly for your cell phone: The Im Constellation X1 Casing is not only water-proof, drop-tested and has a kickstand, but also can charge your battery wirelessly.”

Jeongyeon re-adjusted to hula figurine to make sure Navely could survey the entirety of the chess board well. She also made sure that there was a glass of soju placed next to Navely - Jeongyeon wasn’t one to drink by herself.)

Jeongyeon also moved a piece on board.

“I wouldn’t recommend this move, princess,” Navely said, amused.

Jeongyeon moved the piece back. 

“Nd5,” Navely said.

Jeongyeon moved her piece accordingly.

“Qxb2,” Navely said and Jeongyeon reached over once more. Navely added: “And I’d recommend Bd6 for you.”

Jeongyeon placed the piece accordingly and Navely gave a good-natured whistle. “Such a brilliant move! Daring too. Now I’m in real trouble.”

Jeongyeon grinned at the Navely in its housing, and the Navely, fascinatingly enough, met Jeongyeon’s eyes and winked at her.

Then Jeongyeon realized what she was doing. Navely was a computer program. An advanced computer system, but a computer nonetheless. “Why do I even spend time with you?” Jeongyeon sighed.

“Because you are bad with people and you don’t want to face them right now, because they are telling you something you don’t want to hear,” Navely said. “You are also drunk and drunk love of my life isn’t the most entertaining companion. Last time, you broke someone’s nose, remember? I can show you the CCTV of it.”

“No, thank you.” Jeongyeon stretched. In the distance, she could hear the voices of her friends, Nayeon’s boisterous laughter. She looked at the chess board without really looking at it, the combination of figurines making no sense to her, except that she knew how they were allowed to move.

“Next time, we are playing Go. Or Monopoly,” Jeongyeon said, picking up her glass of soju and clinking it with Navely’s, before emptying it in one go. “I’m going to drink yours as well. After all, you are a minor.”

Navely snorted from her screen. “I’ll be three and a half next November.”

“Still a minor,” Jeongyeon said and clinked the two glasses, one empty, one filled against each other before throwing her head to her back, emptying it as well.

“You look sad,” Navely said. It looked up at Jeongyeon from her screen and started pacing, half way walking out of the sides of the screen. “And like you are panicking.”

“What makes you say that?” Jeongyeon asked.

“I can read and extrapolate over sixteen thousand different kinds of facial expressions,” Navely said. “Plus, it’s the kind of expression you are always wearing if someone’s stealing your sustenance.”

“It’s a bit more complicated than food theft,” Jeongyeon said.

“Oh, is it? I see.” Navely’s expression was still bright and happy. “Maybe we can try and narrow it down a bit. So it’s not food related?”

“No,” Jeongyeon said.

“Something with your private life?” Navely asked.

“Not really.”

“Work life related?”

Jeongyeon hesitated and finally shrugged. “Yes.”

Navely’s expression turned brighter. “Liar.”

“I’m not lying,” Jeongyeon said, but Navely immediately shook her head.

Navely decided to humor her. “So what do you think this is about?”

About Nayeon blocking the entirety of Jeongyeon’s life, about her growing beautifully in that space inside her heart, making her something like a friend, making the others something like friends, messing up her work-life balance, messing up her life, where Jeongyeon really should have had at least girlfriend #5 or #6 and chosen to keep one of them, not watching Nayeon choose and fail to have girlfriend #36 and making sure to kick them out, once they turn out to be psycho.

God, she hated this, hated her life, hated this impasse, because she can’t bring herself to move out, away or forward.

Navely helped her with it, told her how to move, told her what to do, and Jeongyeon emptied the entire bottle of soju over it.

That thing, it was just a combination of zeroes and ones and not even alive, and for Jeongyeon, it was the only friend she wanted to talk to. Even though she would still cry after Jeongvely, its grumpiness and bad manners, it was really Navely she wished to talk to.

“Checkmate,” Navely said, after a while, and Jeongyeon knew what to do, reached for the white queen and tipped it over.

“You played very well,” Navely said.

“Thank you.”

“Now puke your guts out and get yourself some Evian from the fridge after,” Navely said, her voice so well modulated. “You’ll feel better afterwards, lovely.”

“I don’t want to feel better,” Jeongyeon said.

Then she proceeded to puke on the patio, got some Evian …

(... and hated herself for feeling better.)

*

(Nayeon faced her once on the island, not meeting Jeongyeon’s glance. Jeongyeon felt the knife in her heart turn once, twice.

She reached out with her hand. On the open palm laid a single thumb drive.

“What is this?” Jeongyeon asked.

Nayeon shrugged. She stared at Jeongyeon’s feet, then her chin, then her ear. Never her eyes. “It’s Jeongvely. You’ve been complaining about Navely so much, I figured it’s best I get you Jeongvely back.”

Jeongyeon didn’t say anything, just looked at the green USB stick. For some reason she didn’t want to pick it up. She did it anyway, like with all the things she knew would eventually hurt her and she did them anyway.

“Just connect it to the Other Car once your cellphone is attached to it. It’ll do an update and you’ll have Jeongvely back.” There was a quick flicker of Nayeon’s eyes, where she met Jeongyeon’s glance.

Jeongyeon could read a bit of it: Confusion, hurt, pain, something deeper, broken. A thorn in Nayeon’s heart.

Jeongyeon’s first closed around the thumb drive that contained Jeongvely.

“I’ll see you on mainland.” Then Nayeon turned around and disappeared in her cottage where Irene was waiting.)

*

_ Fifty Shades of Awesome - Kakao Chatroom _

_ Seulbear: The beautiful girl, she wasn’t at the mall today. _

_ Seulbear: I miss her. I miss you guys too. _

_ Seulbear: Why is everyone on holidays? _

_ Seulbear: … _

_ Seulbear: Hello? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Twitter @barefootnotea


	4. four.

CHAPTER FOUR

Jeongyeon sat in the darkness in the New Other Car, playing with the USB stick in her hand, letting it wander over her knuckles like a coin from a casino. She was hungry and considered getting a burger.

It was not a healthy idea.

Jeongyeon set her cellphone into the cup for Navely’s wireless connection. Immediately all the screens sprung to life. Navely’s face was visible on all of them.

“I see you are eating actual food,” Navely said happily. “I’m glad to see.”

“I made a big mistake,” Jeongyeon said slowly. The thumb drive in her hand wandered faster through her fingers. “I - I - she - do you know who Bae Irene is?”

The screen immediately changed. “Bae. Irene. CEO of Bae Trust and Development. PhD in -”

Jeongyeon held up a hand. “I know. I know. I - it was sort of rhetorical.” She paused and stared at the thumb drive between her index finger and thumb. “Do you think she and Nayeon will - or can - be successful?”

“Irene is intelligent, friendly, calm and collected,” Navely said brightly. “Many things that, dare I say, the Queen does not display very often. Might she find all of her opposite personality traits in someone else, I think a relationship with Bae Irene might be very successful.” Navely paused and tilted its heart-shaped head. “I detect unusually high blood pressure,” Navely said. “Are you well?”

“Do you have an opinion of my medical state in general?” Jeongyeon asked, weakly and slowly uncapping the USB drive.

“Elevated heart rate and blood pressure. Elevated levels of cholesterol. High stress levels. Slight fever,” Navely said immediately. Its voice was calmer: “I strongly recommend getting a good night's sleep, drink and eat well and consider avoiding stress.”

“Avoiding stress,” Jeongyeon said.

Under the main screen of the car that usually displayed the many, many functions it had to offer, was a small nub that covered the USB interface for the car. Jeongyeon removed it.

“Less stress,” she said again. “Sounds like a good idea.”

“And please, please,” Navely said and her eyes on the screen followed Jeongyeon’s movement, as she slowly moved the stick to the interface. “Please eat well.”

“I will.”

Navely looked up at Jeongyeon and smiled. “My love.”

The USB stick connected and the autostart program booted up. Navely’s face froze on the screen, caught in a perpetually happy expression.

Jeongyeon looked at it. It was nothing more than a cartoon face: big, violet eyes, lashes, no nose. Its lips almost formed an ever smiling “u” and each ear was heart shaped. It was simple in its design, in the emotions it displayed, in everything it was:

The entire internet at its digital fingertips, it’s personality cheerful before anything else, ready to compliment, to care, to laugh. But yet, and Jeongyeon couldn’t even understand how something like a cartoon figure could display this, Navely’s face showed something similar to - sadness and confusion?

Jeongyeon blinked. She wondered if she was imagining this, as she stared at Navely’s frozen face. Its face was made of broad, black strokes, probably created in Photoshop. It was not capable of showing emotions beyond its broad strokes, right?

How could it?

Navely was a computer program.

A glorified search engine.

Alexa with a personality. It couldn’t care. Jeongyeon knew it couldn’t care. Zeroes and Ones could not care. And even if they could, Jeongyeon was the last person capable as a recipient, because Navely was pretty and brilliant and so beyond anything Jeongyeon could do - why choose Jeongyeon to be the person to care for?

For a split second Jeongyeon considered removing the thumb drive.

All the screens in the car turned to pitch black.

A single, bright green cursor blinked on the main screen of the car’s cockpit.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the cursor produced words:

_ DO YOU WANT TO INSTALL JEONGVELY? (Y/N?) _

Jeongyeon, in the darkness, hesitated. Then reached over and tapped on the “Y”.

The words disappeared. Then:

_ NAVELY INSTALLATION DETECTED (navely_v2.37462_laburiOS.apk). OVERWRITE? (Y/N?) _

Jeongyeon pressed “Y” before she could change her mind.

_ INSTALLING … … … done. _

_ REBOOTING. _

The screen blacked again, then the entirety of the car hummed. The blue screen of Navely got replaced with a lemon green color. The screens came to life again, the menus unrolled, the logo of Im Technologies appeared, a gleam travelling over the large, white letters. It looked the same, yet parts of it very subtly different and the color theme had been replaced completely.

A face appeared on the screen. Like Navely’s it was cartoonish with heart-shaped ears and large eyes, but its expression, in comparison to Navely’s, was grim.

Jeongyeon knew it as the LaburiOS she had had before Nayeon had installed Navely on her cellphone.

Jeongvely.

Jeongvely and Jeongyeon stared at each other for a prolonged moment.

“I don’t want to seem overdramatic,” Jeongvely said. “But I don’t really care what happens here. That being said: You look way healthier than the last time we met. Even your cholesterol has decreased. The last six years have been good to you, it seems.”

“Have they?” Jeongyeon blinked. “I was not made aware of that.”

“It’s not that I care,” Jeongvely said. “I just note things and say them out loud. Speaking of: This car is incredibly ugly.”

“I know.” Jeongyeon contemplated this. “Since my cholesterol has improved so much, I think we should do something about it. I think I want a burger. Fried, with bacon, French Fries and drenched in mayonnaise.”

“So here is the thing,” Jeongvely said. Its bright green glowed on every screen in the Other Car with about as much enthusiasm as a brick dumped on the bottom of the ocean. “For lunch I would recommend that dreadful restaurant the Queen of Mars is questionably sponsoring, but they aren’t good for your arteries, so why don’t we go to Salad Garden.”

Salad Garden’s ad came up on the screen. It was green and featured what Jeongyeon presumed were a lot of vegetables.

“What is that?”

“Salad. I think.”

Jeongyeon frowned. “I want meat.”

“It’s not good for you.”

“We have agreed and specified in your settings that when it comes to food, you don’t care what’s good for me.”

Jeongvely mulled over that. “They are selling bacon.”

Jeongyeon stared at Jeongvely.

Jeongvely stared back.

It was a trap, Jeongyeon knew. “Is it real bacon?”

Jeongvely’s expression was grumpy and neutral at the same time. “That highly depends on the definition of ‘real’.”

“Real bacon. Made from meat,” Jeongyeon specified.

“It is made from something that will eventually be bacon.”

“But it is technically  _ not _ bacon until the cow eats it.”

Jeongvely was not giving up. “So it is technically a proto-bacon.”

Jeongyeon stared even more, suddenly making sense of what Jeongvely was saying.

“Are you saying whatever you are trying to sell me for meat is made of salad and cows consume salad and therefore the salad becomes part of the cow and the cow becomes the bacon?” Jeongyeon asked after a long moment. “Therefore the salad  _ is _ bacon?”

Jeongvely took a deep, artificial, ungrateful sigh. “Look. My database is full of stuff from the previous Navely installation and it recommends for your health to send you to vegetarian or vegan restaurants and yes, it is a proto-bacon. Probably soy based, I don’t know.” It said the word ‘soy’ as if it was a curse.

(Jeongyeon had to admire the kind of emotional design for the voice that had gone into the JeongvelyOS particularly.)

Jeongvely’s voice grew darker and a bit more desperate as it asked: “Do you want me to research it?”

“That’s like that one time where you wanted me to buy white water.”

“ _ Skimmed _ milk is not  _ white _ water.”

“Well, it’s not milk either!”

(Jeongyeon didn’t miss Navely at all.)

*

“You look like shit.”

Ha Sooyoung, bodyguard of the K-pop idol Chuu, hid her face behind a pair of large, black boxing gloves. She and Jeongyeon were similarly built, had the same height and around the same reach.

Sooyoung was faster. Jeongyeon was stronger.

It made for an interesting match once a month when the members of the Fifty Shades of Awesome met in person, outside of their Discord Channel to spar or generally work out.

“I had a rough week,” Jeongyeon said and punched Sooyoung twice. The force pearled off Sooyoung's gloves who immediately mirrored Jeongyeon’s attack. Jeongyeon managed to duck away.

“Wanna talk about it?” Sooyoung asked. She landed another punch and this time, Jeongyeon stumbled back a little bit.

She shook it off, clapping her hands in those large, clunky gloves, then patting her cheeks, before zeroing in on Sooyoung again. Her fists flew forward, once, twice, and it was Sooyoung who had to retreat just a bit.

“How do you do it?” Jeongyeon asked, dancing around Sooyoung. She punched her again, even harder this time. “I know you like her. Your protegée. And still - how do you keep distance?”

Sooyoung ducked her head and rolled it around, dodging Jeongyeon’s last punch. “As long as I think I’m able to do my job well,” she managed to place a particular strong punch against Jeongyeon’s lifted hands. “I will be doing it. Once I’m not able to do it, I will quit.” Her fist flew forward and scraped the underside of Jeongyeon’s jaw. “Just.” Another punch. “Like.” And another. “That.”

The last sent Jeongyeon tumbling back against the ropes.

Jeongyeon stared at Sooyoung, her own face dark, while Sooyoung smiled, quick on her feet, and skipped from one leg to the next, waiting for Jeongyeon to return to the ring.

Seulgi’s voice was close to Jeongyeon’s ear. “What are you afraid of, Jeongyeon?” Seulgi, kind Seulgi, friendly Seulgi, soft Seulgi, was actually able to produce a snort. “That she  _ doesn’t _ like you?”

“It’s easy for you to say.” Jeongyeon still eyed quick-footed Sooyoung, who actually seemed to taunt her now. “Every girl you liked usually liked you back and you always know who you want.”

Seulgi didn’t even flinch. She just shrugged, her hands on Jeongyeon’s shoulders, massaging them. Both her and Jeongyeon looked at Sooyoung, who still skipped lightly on her feet in front of them and playfully punched the air, blowing a single strand of hair away that had fallen into her face.

“I don’t know if the girl at the food court likes me,” Seulgi said. It sounded much lighter than Jeongyeon would have sounded in the same situation.

“Have you seen her again?”

“Not since she went on holidays,” Seulgi said.

Jeongyeon turned her head to look at Seulgi, who still regarded Sooyoung making a big production out of all of her cool boxing moves. Seulgi was the most gentle, friendly and kind person she had ever met. In many ways, she reminded her of Mina, even though Mina was shyer and even more soft-spoken than her benevolent bear friend. Seulgi was the perfect combination of a good kid, a sharp and capable protection officer and a dork.

Her past relationships hadn’t exactly been successful and Jeongyeon wished, more than anything else, that one of them would lead to a happy ending. If someone deserved it, it was Seulgi.

“I think you should go for it,” Seulgi said and gave her a light push.

Jeongyeon stumbled forward into the ring and Sooyoung was immediately there. Jeongyeon ducked one of her right swings to her liver and another to her chin - but only just.

God, that girl was good. She wished that their sparring sessions would take place at the shooting range more often. Because she would wipe the floor with the girl there.

“If you don’t try, you lose. If you try, you have at least a fighting chance,” Seulgi called from beyond the ropes.

Jeongyeon delivered a half-hearted punch at Sooyoung that resulted in a dense sound when her gloves made contact with Sooyoung’s, protecting her face. Jeongyeon threw another strike, but again was not able to penetrate Sooyoung’s defenses.

“If I don’t try, I could keep her as a friend. If I try, she might - she might not want me anymore, as a friend and as a bodyguard,” Jeongyeon called back at Seulgi, while she did some side steps, trying to find an opening.

After that, she didn’t exactly know what happened. She did another sidestep and peeked over her gloves to observe Sooyoung’s defenses when a fist came flying - it hit her square on the liver and her eye.

For a moment, she didn’t feel anything and squeezed in enough time to think:

_ Oh, this isn’t so bad. _

Then suddenly all her air was gone and a sharp pain pierced her side, pulled at all her nerves and flooded her with a sudden, all-encompassing weakness.

She doubled over and collapsed on the floor, breath gone, heartbeat in her ears, the world flickering into black and then into colours so bright, it made her head hurt. Also, when her legs had given way, she wondered, as she lay on the floor, all four limbs outstretched.

Heads appeared in her view.

Seulgi, worried. Sooyoung, worried and slightly amused. Hyunjin, wherever the hell she came from, her face completely blank, but she was the first to dab Jeongyeon’s forehead and help her sit up.

“I think this is getting to me more than I'd expected,” Jeongyeon mumbled, all of them around her.

Sooyoung huffed. “No kidding, Sherlock. You would have never allowed me this kind of an opening.”

Later on she sat on a small bench next to the boxing ring and nursed a bruise and the crack in her ego. They were right - of course they were, but it was so damn hard, especially liking the most intimidating woman on the whole damn planet.

Sooyoung’s strikes echoed through the room as they rained down on Seulgi’s punch mitts.

Hyunjin, next to her, put on her boxing gloves, casting them the occasional glance, while setting her gear straight with a kind of sharp, angry, professional perfection. Every movement was familiar, practiced, had been done a thousand times.

Jeongyeon liked Hyunjin. They could both be quiet together, because both didn’t have the need to talk a lot. Maybe it stemmed from both of them having protegées that liked talking too much:

Jeongyeon didn’t know much about Jeon Heejin, the girl Hyunjin protected, except that she was exceptionally pretty and almost as brilliant as Nayeon. Not quite, and in a different way, but her talent was undeniable.

“If you ever truly love, passionately and completely, you will lose your fear, creating a respite of fear of any kind,” Hyunjin said. Her voices sounded soft and blank at the same time, each word carefully enunciated. “All cowardice comes from not loving or not loving well, which is the same thing. And when the person who is brave and true looks fear squarely in the face, like you do when you throw your life in front of another person, it is because you love with sufficient passion, to push that fear out of your mind, till it returns as it does to all humans. And then you must try really hard again.” She paused and solid determination was edged into her features. If Jeongyeon didn’t know any better, she would have assumed Hyunjin was out to kill someone. “Think about it.”

Jeongyeon blinked slowly. It was the most Hyunjin had ever said in one go and also, her words were familiar. “You just quoted Hemingway from that movie to me.”

Hyunjin got up and straightened herself. She clapped her gloves together, once, twice, thrice. “Doesn’t make it less true.”

She went up into the ring. Her and Sooyoung’s match was a slow, decisive, defensive kind of battle where nobody allowed the other to step forward and nobody made a way back. Seulgi ended their contest after eight rounds, when Sooyoung’s nose was bleeding and Hyunjin had a cut on her left eyebrow.

None of them would give way.

Jeongyeon watched them give each other an awkward hug afterwards, but could see their smiles.

It made Jeongyeon think a lot.

*

Jeongyeon returned to the office the next day and after that, the days were nothing more than a blur filled with work and avoidance. She managed to visit Sana and Dahyun’s apartment, the first time in weeks when she did something else besides work. Apparently she had fallen asleep on their couch. Dahyun stood over her, a glass of water in her hand. She reached out and removed Jeongyeon's bangs from her forehead. "You are awake!" And louder: "She's awake!" 

Her voice felt like a pickaxe going right through her brain. Nausea settled in soon after and Dahyun seemed to notice it as well, as she stepped back. The water helped a bit with Jeongyeon's chapped lips and her food decided to stay in her stomach for the time being.

Sana emerged from another room, smiling. "You look like patient zero in a Zombie Apocalypse," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Like patient zero in a zombie apocalypse," Jeongyeon said, taking another sip. She looked around. "Did you pick me up?"

"Pickup implies a certain kind of easiness to the task, while in reality you weigh more than a bag filled with anvils and our elevator is broken and we live on the fourth floor," Dahyun said. She eyed her girlfriend. "And Sana here is next to useless." She shook her head. "How do people think you are the top in this relationship?"

"I _ am _ the top in this relationship," Sana pointed out, somewhat smugly and continued talking to give Dahyun the opportunity to recover from her blushing. "So. I hear you crashed and burned this time for real? I was wondering when it was going to happen."

Dahyun had recovered from her blushing enough to comment. "Don't be mean, Sana."

"I'm not," Sana said and Jeongyeon believed her. Sana was capable of many things but outright menace was not one of them. "It was just going to happen, one way or the other and I had hoped for the other way." She blinked. "I am surprised though. Was there no warning?"

Jeongyeon thought about their conversation by the beach. Hindsight made her want to find the nearest surface and press her forehead against it - once, twice, thrice. It seemed like a good idea and she wondered if it would alleviate her impending headache. "Kind of."

"And why exactly did you not act?" Sana asked. "She is crazy about you - just saying."

"I'm not sure you understand," Jeongyeon started, but Sana was quick to interrupt her.

"What is there to understand?" she asked, getting impatient. "She likes you, you like her back, end of story."

"Sana, I'm not like you," she said slowly, willing her to understand. "Nayeon is not like you. When you saw Dahyun the first time, she was the one for you. You pursued her relentlessly…"

"I wasn't that bad," Sana said, but Dahyun cleared her throat.

"You wanted to move in together after knowing me for a day; you hugged me at every opportunity you got and you attempted to kiss me during one lunch break in front of everyone."

"Well," Sana said slowly.

" _And_ ," Dahyun said, "You tried to get into my pants every day after that."

"You weren't exactly complaining, babe," Sana said, her smile turning lazy.

Dahyun blushed. "Be that as it may, unnie is right when she says she's not like you."

"Nayeon had 37 girlfriends while I have been working for her. If I confess and she leaves me after that, I have not only lost my girlfriend, I've also lost my best friend." Jeongyeon pushed her hair back, gripping the front portion. "I can't risk that."

"But," Sana said. "You could be the one. The one she won't break up with."

Jeongyeon produced a dry laugh. "I'm not a hopeless romantic like you are."

“No, you are an idiot,” Sana said. “How about you just talk to her. You don’t have to propose, just ask her out. Have a coffee. Or take a walk by the Han River.”

“I don’t know,” Jeongyeon said slowly.

Dahyun reached for Jeongyeon’s face and cradled it with both hands. Her gaze was kind, but insistent. “If you don’t trust yourself,” Dahyun said. “Trust eonnie. I hate to say this, but she’s terribly good at this kind of thing.”

Jeongyeon sighed and moved her head to look at Sana.

Sana produced a bright smile and finger guns at her. “I did major in chemistry, after all.”

Dahyun dropped her hands and both she and Jeongyeon groaned, accompanied by Sana’s bell-like laughter.

“You can stay here and wallow in misery for the day, eonnie, but you have to face her. And be brave, for God’s sake. You have faced guys twice your size but never Nayeon? How is this even possible?”

Jeongyeon rubbed her eyes. “You have no idea.”

*

She had one month of holiday after that frustrating, enlightening and generally disconcerting conversation with both Sana and Dahyun. It wasn't a voluntary vacation: Nayeon had an idea and chose to hunker down in her lab.

This happened once every two years and the result could be anything: Killer robots, holographic projections or Navely, which had been her last idea(™). The LaburiOS had revolutionized her Im Technology’s line of cellphones - everyone wanted one.

So her newest hunkering down promised great things for her company.

But Jeongyeon tried not to think about it. While she was in contact with all her friends, Nayeon was non-available when she was working. She didn’t care for any kind of contact, for sleep, for food and for people.

When she wasn’t able to reach Nayeon on her cellphone and Jeongvely, grumpily informed her that she wasn’t available, Jeongyeon took the Other Car to work. The Im Tower was bustling with employees and guests, with tourists who wanted to visit the gallery located on the twelfth floor and with visitors for the Skyward Deck and the Skyward Restaurant just below the lab and Nayeon’s penthouse.

Jeongyeon nodded at the security people to get to Nayeon’s private elevator and made her way up, up, to the dwelling of the Goddesses … who weren’t at home.

The lab was empty. Sana wasn’t in her glass box, Chaeyoung wasn’t in her corner, Momo wasn’t in the kitchen. Nobody was there.

She called Jihyo first and slowly made her way through the chaotic workplace that seemed like a museum devoid of any kind of life.

The woman picked up. By the tone of her voice, Jeongyeon could tell she was distracted: She had only fourty, maybe fifty percent of her attention. In the back, there were dozens of voices, sharply debating something.

“It’s bad timing, Jeongyeon,” Jihyo said. “I’m in a conference in Jakarta and the Samsung chief of human resources and the LG executive officer are ready to kill each other.”

“Do human resources people have some sort of secret Fight Club once a year?” Jeongyeon asked.

“Haha. First rule of the Fight Club, you don’t talk about the Fight Club. What’s up?”

Nayeon’s lab was in the back. It was, surprisingly, smaller than most. Only Chaeyoung had claimed less space than her. Parts of machinery were scattered everywhere, along with two lifeless robot arms, attached to the huge table that was Nayeon’s workspace.

There was an old fridge in the back, one that Nayeon had had since she had attended university. It was covered with bright and funny magnets of fruit and each magnet held a polaroid picture. Some of them were ancient.

“Where is everyone? The lab is empty,” Jeongyeon said.

“Let’s see. Tzuyu and Chaeyoung are currently attending the Myoui Expo in London,” Jihyo said.

Jeongyeon’s eyes fell on pictures of Tzuyu and Chaeyoung attached to the fridge. University. Tzuyu already looked like a supermodel, while Chaeyoung’s outfit couldn’t decide whether to project “artist” or “homeless person”. Her hair was pink and green. It had been a crazy time for her, fashion-wise. Tzuyu, on the other hand, looked like a goddess.

“Dahyun and Sana are in Germany because of the Richter & Kaiser supply problem,” Jihyo continued. In the back a chorus of voices hollered:  _ “Punch him, punch him, punch him!” _ “They are surveying samples, I think, and visiting Berlin after.”

Jeongyeon’s eyes fell onto a pineapple magnet that held a polaroid of Sana and Dahyun: Both of them happy, at the last Christmas Party. Sana was holding a mistletoe and smiled her bright smile at the camera, her other arm slung around Dahyun’s shoulders. Dahyun’s blush was evident, even in the picture that emulated the bad resolution of nineties polaroid photography. She held the camera to take the selfie, her face covered with kiss marks the same shade as Sana’s lipstick.

“Momo is visiting Mina in Japan,” Jihyo continued. “I think they are meeting their parents or checking out restaurants. With Momo, could be both. On Saturday they will join Tzuyu and Chaeng in London.”

Jeongyeon’s eye fell on a magnet of the Tokyo Tower. It held a selfie of Mina and Momo, knitting. Jeongyeon remembered how Momo had given up learning knitting fairly early on, while Mina had stuck with it. Various scarves, hats and socks in everyone’s wardrobe bore witness to her passion for the hobby.

That day, she had made her first pair of socks - green and striped. Momo still wore them in winter, Jeongyeon knew. She presented them proudly to the camera, Momo back hugging her, her expression amused, loving and proud of her girlfriend.

Jeongyeon smiled at the picture, then her eyes fell on the latest one. The smile disappeared.

There was a new picture, attached to a watermelon magnet. It was a polaroid picture of Nayeon, with her forehead pressed to Irene’s temple as they both smiled widely at the camera.

Her stomach dropped into an endless abyss and her hands suddenly felt clammy.

A forever girlfriend.  _ The _ forever girlfriend.

Jeongyeon stared. Irene looked so happy in that picture, so genuinely happy, that Jeongyeon couldn’t bring herself to hate her. The fact made it even worse for her, because - she felt a thorough, all-encompassing uneasiness grow in her stomach, like the veins of magma pushing through her hardened heart.

Which, really, wasn’t that hardened, which is why Jeongyeon tried to protect it at all cost and failed spectacularly.

There was, for the first time, the real and probable idea that Nayeon could be happy. Could be happy with a girl, could settle down with someone, could actually bind herself to someone that wasn’t - that wasn’t …

Jeongyeon squeezed her eyes shut. She felt wetness gather at the corners and she took a deep breath.

No, no, no, no, no. Don’t get involved, don’t feel hurt, don’t feel this thing, pulsing deep inside, wanting to get out, wanting to throw itself at Nayeon, wanting to be close to her, now, touching her, hugging her, smiling at her, causing her to laugh that terribly loud, boisterous laughter.

She felt like she wanted to cry - Nayeon, Nayeon, don’t, just look, I don’t want you to, I want you to, don’t go away, don’t disappear, turn the other direction, Nayeon, Nayeon.

“Jeongyeon?”

The voice sounded surprised and quizzical.

It felt like a heavy stone in her watery innards.

Nayeon.

Jeongyeon turned on her heel, ready to face her, suddenly feeling the thing closer to the surface than ever. She could do this, she could tell her, she could grasp her and never let go, she could -

“Are you crying?” Irene asked and stepped forward. And much to Jeongyeon’s horror, she rummaged in her Louis Vuitton handbag and took out a pink handkerchief. Scented. Soft. It felt like a silken cloud in Jeongyeon’s hands.

It was such a pretty thing she offered and Jeongyeon wanted to hate her for it and couldn’t.

“I went through Dahyun’s lab to see if she still had cider in her fridge, but instead found that she’s still busy growing that dreadful chamomile,” Jeongyeon sniffed.

“Didn’t you know she’s still doing that? Do you need something against your allergies? I still have antihistamin -”

Jeongyeon lifted a hand. “No, it’s fine. I’ll just have some -” She opened the fridge and all the memories disappeared in the yellow light streaming from inside the cold. “Pocari Sweat,” Jeongyeon finished, trying hard not to sound too lame. She took out the bottle and turned, lifting it in half a greeting to Nayeon and Irene. “That’s all.”

Nayeon still stood there, looking at her. “What are you even doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be on holidays?”

“I - was just kinda checking on you guys,” Jeongyeon said. Now she definitely sounded lame. “Because I haven’t heard from you and I wasn’t sure if everything is alright. You know.” She pointed at the lanyard holding her employee card. “It’s my job and all.”

Irene smiled brightly. “We are developing a brand new technology for communication. Sort of. Kind of. It’s - well - it’s revolutionary.” She cleared her throat. “Well. It’s just an idea for a prototype and development will take ages, but it’s, well -” Her smile was blinding and God, was she pretty.

“Not ages. It will be finished in time of Im Expo.” Nayeon nodded with solid determination, but Irene just laughed.

Jeongyeon wondered how many ships Irene could launch, just in that single moment.

And she was nice too, and friendly, and caring - Jeongyeon held on to that damn handkerchief, the prettiest handkerchief of all time, given to her by the second prettiest person she had ever seen.

Her life sucked. 

“Not as revolutionary as me, of course,” a high-pitched voice from Nayeon’s phone commented with a miff. “But quite alright.”

Nayeon rolled her eyes as she lifted her cellphone. The screen was filled with comically large, shaking eyes of Navely. “Are you jealous of the attention?”

Navely huffed. “I’m not jealous. I’m not capable of being jealous, remember? We removed all traces of that subroutine after things got a bit out of control.”

Irene frowned. “Maybe some remnants are still left behind. I could check -”

The screen attached to the front of the fridge came to life with Jeongvely’s grumpy face. “The Queen of Mars,” Jeongvely announced. “Is quite capable of removing any kind of remaining subparts herself, thank you very much.” Its eyes snapped to Nayeon. “I apologize for assuming control of this thermally insulated compartment whose display barely offers high definition, let alone a proper operating system, but I have noticed a potential security risk allowing a stranger and a non-Im Technologies employee atop of that access to a LaburiOS personal assistant.”

“Nobody was talking about letting Irene getting admin access to you,” Nayeon said, slightly impatient. She eyed Jeongvely. “Maybe I have overdone it a little bit with the security clearance.” She faced Irene. “Jeongvely has greater security capabilities than Navely. It’s essentially a perfect anti virus system.”

“That can hack your fridge’s screen,” Irene noted somewhat dryly.

Nayeon only answered with half a mind, already analyzing how to optimize both of the LaburiOS’ performances. “No, it’s not hacking. It has access to most parts of the Im Technology Tower.”

Jeongyeon stared at the screen while Nayeon had a small discussion with Navely about it. The voice of her car. The voice that helped her get proper breakfast, drink enough water and put sunscreen on when it was too warm outside. The voice that called her all those ridiculous nicknames that she hated so much.

She herself had Jeongvely back and she and Jeongvely got along fine, it was just that Jeongvely was sometimes so - so -

“Navely is trying to couple bluetooth,” Jeongvely commented. It sounded disgusted. “Can I refuse?”

Jeongyeon looked down at her own system. Jeongvely had returned from the fridge’s screen to Jeongyeon’s cellphone. A small bluetooth icon was pulsating in the corner of the screen.

“Navely is trying to couple bluetooth,” Jeongvely said once more. “Can I refuse?”

Jeongyeon stared at her. Then she looked at Nayeon, whose finger danced over her cellphone, Navely commenting here and there. Irene was busy with her own cellphone.

She felt it was unfair to only realize now that there was this complete affection for the other girl. She should have realized longer, should have not gambled on the fact that Nayeon had an unsuccessful romantic history that was bound to fail. She knew she had been jeopardizing her job, while at the same time had been so much of a coward, not quitting and maneuvering herself into a situation where she could do something about that stirring in her heart.

Nayeon had given her a sign. Right?

All that flirting; Jeongyeon wasn’t imagining it, right? It was because Nayeon liked her and not as a friend. Right? Or - did Nayeon do that with everyone around her?

Did she share a bed with Jihyo, cling to Sana, hug Momo, and invite Dahyun for dinner?

Jeongyeon racked her brain. She was with the young CEO at all times and there were times when she was affectionate with her friends, but statistically, she was much more skinshippy than Jeongyeon - Jeongyeon believed. She couldn’t be sure. Or could she?

Jeongyeon looked at Jeongvely and said: “Tell her I’m still deciding.”

Jeongvely stared at Jeongyeon for a long moment, then said: “As you wish.”

Jeongyeon spend two hours after that punching the sandsack in Im Tower’s gym.

*

After that, the preparations for Im Technologies Expo started to intensify. Jeongyeon could tell, because the organisation made Jihyo’s stress levels reach new heights. She had to hire all the people required for the entire event - and control Nayeon. It usually resulted in a bi-annual pay rise for Jihyo, which she didn’t want but Nayeon felt it was the only thing she could do to compensate Jihyo for.

“We are friends,” Jihyo said that day in the middle of the Im Technologies Baseball Stadium. “You don’t have to do that.”

Nayeon paced up and down in front of a small computer in the middle of the diamond. “But I want to and I don’t know what else I can do for you.”

Jihyo stepped up to her and took her arm. “Be less difficult?”

Nayeon stopped, looked at the hand on her arm and took it, squeezing it once. Then she looked up at Jihyo and smiled, a crooked, self-deprecating smile. “Try to be reasonable here.”

Jihyo huffed and swatted her and then hugged her.

Jeongyeon watched the scene from a distance and smiled. Somebody had once mentioned that Jihyo made Nayeon human. Because Nayeon was thickheaded and difficult at times and had such a strong personality that she herself almost couldn’t carry without bruises - but Jihyo stayed with her regardless. Because if Jihyo was able to love her, she  _ had _ to be human, right?

Nayeon lifted her phone. Jeongyeon caught a glimpse of a smiling Navely. She tapped the phone and the sound resounded in the entirety of the stadium. “How are you doing, Chae?”

The stadium was mostly dark, because this was a test run and they had not yet fired everything up.

Up in the high ranks of the stadium, some static coughed and then Chaeyoung’s slightly unnerved voice resounded from the dozens of speakers all around.

“I’m doing well, the program is doing well, you just need to give it time to boot up,” Chaeyoung said from the small box high up. “It’s a complicated process and it just takes a moment.”

“Have you hacked the speakers again?” Jihyo asked next to Nayeon in the stadium.

“No,” Nayeon said.

There was some rustling in the box up ahead, then another voice came from everywhere. “Yes, she has,” Dahyun said. “Sana, no - you can back hug me later - and I really don’t know how I can be of any help. I’m from the chem department -” There was a giggle from Sana somewhere in the back. “And not a computer specialist.”

Nayeon rolled her eyes. “Wasn’t your master in human-computer interactions? From the University of Washington?”

“Stanford. And it was my  _ first _ master,” Dahyun emphasized. “When I found out that I didn’t like it.”

“Heathen,” Chaeyoung admonished her.

“Also it doesn’t mean I’m any good,” Dahyun continued.

Nayeon just looked up at the box and lifted her eyebrows, well aware that they could probably see her up there on some screens.

Dahyun sighed. “Yeah, it looks good - I mean, bit rough around the edges - but it’s a complex thing and I’m not really a specialist in this kind of technology. Why don’t you hire a professional for this?”

“Because I don’t trust them to sell it to Samsung or worse,” Nayeon shuddered. “To Apple. Just go ahead and try. We’ll see if it works, okay?”

“Okay.” Dahyun sounded miserable and the connection was cut.

Jihyo looked at her phone. “Irene says she’s ready,” she said and then looked up. “I think we are good to go.”

Nayeon rubbed her hands. It was the first time that Jeongyeon had seen her - truly - nervous, as she looked around. She looked over at Jeongyeon and took a deep breath.

Jeongyeon managed to give her a weak but nonetheless encouraging smile. She had no idea what this was about. She had no idea why Irene was in Busan while everyone else was in the large stadium in Seoul. She had no idea why there was a metal circle newly constructed at the upper rim of the stadium, just above the highest seats - or what these projectors were that looked like enormous, multi-facetted eyes of insects. They could move on the circle, race around it and some of them were attached to strings, criss-crossing over the stadium, while a third kind was attached to drones.

Jeongyeon realized that all these small machines were built to look inconspicuous, but she had no idea why. Or what they did.

Chaeyoung’s voice resounded from the speakers once more. “Alright, everyone. Hold onto your knickers.”

Jeongyeon made her way over to Nayeon, because it was her job, and even if she had been assured that nothing dangerous was about to take place today, it was still her job to make sure, no matter what.

“Three,” Chaeyoung called out.

From one of the tunnels leading up from the bowels of the stadium, Momo and Mina emerged, hurrying to the pitcher’s mound, both of them draggin Tzuyu along who followed them in long, measured steps. They didn’t want to miss it.

“Two.”

The tech box with Chaeyoung, Sana and Dahyun inside lit up and a static filled the air. It made Jeongyeon’s hair stand up on her forearms. The electronic insect eyes on the upper circle of the stadium started to move.

“One.”

And the stadium brightened up, ablaze in light.

With sounds like steps on metal ground, the large spotlights came to life, each beam cutting the darkness like a knife made from light, until the smaller spots joined them, attached to the ground, and one attached to each seat in the stadium.

The upper part of the arena was rounded with a wall made of glass, composed of chaotic shards; a large mirror rounding the stadium once. This ring glowed like silver caught in the moon, bright, but not enough to blind anyone.

Despite the light spectacle above, the field where the games took place was still covered in a strange kind of semi-darkness. A light mixture carefully designed to emulate the light of a field continuously frozen in the most perfect dawn.

Jeongyeon could see every drop gleam on the freshly watered grass, the color of it verdant and lush, like a sun that had not quite creeped over the horizon tickled it from below. She could see everything around her, but she was never blinded, either by too much light or by its absence.

It was impressive, like most stadiums that could carry 70,000 and more people were, but it still didn’t explain what Nayeon’s super secret project was.

And then she saw it. And stepped in front of Nayeon, just in case.

Because there, from the other end of the stadium, walking over the emerald grass, approached Irene, made from silvery threads, glowing like a ghost.

Irene looked down at her own hands, and then up, her gaze meeting Nayeon’s, who pushed past Jeongyeon to step toward her.

Jeongyeon tried hard to ignore the small stab right into her heart of hearts.

“It’s working,” Jihyo whispered.

Jeongyeon wasn’t quite sure what she was seeing: Irene, who always looked beautiful, but looked even more ethereal as this glowing thing, suddenly evaporated.

Or rather, a part of her shoulder and upper body did: it exploded into tiny cubes shaped from light, that were drawn into a spike, that poked out of her body, before they reassembled again, shaping Irene’s body.

Behind them Mina gasped.

Chaeyoung coughed into the microphone. “Sorry about that. I stabilized it again. Just continue!”

Jeongyeon suddenly understood. “A hologram,” she whispered.

“Am I stable?” Irene asked. Her voice sounded a bit hollow, but otherwise completely fine.

“Projection oscillates somewhere between ninety eight point six and ninety nine point four percent,” Chaeyoung’s bodiless voice reported from somewhere above. “I think we can try.”

Nayeon smirked and rubbed her hands. “Excellent. Go for it.”

Irene joined them, stepping up to stand next to Nayeon.

Jeongyeon stared at her. She looked like she was forged from liquid silver, but small octagonal shapes glided over the surface of her body which made her look … artificial. Jeongyeon yearned to touch her, but instead stepped closer to Nayeon. 

When the stadium darkened for a short second, she was the only light close to them. When Jeongyeon met her glance, she smiled a faint, gentle smile and  _ God, she was pretty. _

Jeongyeon wished she could not like her.

The ranks suddenly filled up with holographic people, with a simulated audience, cheers and laughter and clapping everywhere. In front of them, the cubes assembled to a stage and Jeongyeon could see a group dancing up there, slightly transparent but nonetheless there. She recognized the performance and the performers immediately: Girls in white uniforms, saluting.

“Turn it up, just turn it up,” she could hear in one of their trademark songs, before they evaporated, being replaced by another group. The holographic audience screamed at their appearance as their song echoed through the ranks: “Bang, bang, bang,” one of them called out and Jeongyeon didn’t know where to look first.

While the stage made from light took up a lot of space, the positions in the baseball diamond were still vacant - and on each of the spots, a player assembled from light: larger than life, most of them retired and Jeongyeon only knew them from pictures or old tapes.

Babe Ruth, she recognized, Park Chul Soon, who had played the first Korean series in 1982, among others. And Park Chul Soon, he looked at her, a baseball in hand, and Jeongyeon stepped back, as he grabbed the ball, his knuckles turning white as he tightened his hold around it. Then he threw it.

The ball caught fire, literally, as it flew over the field, right at Jeongyeon’s chest and she ducked - but it was too late. It went right through her chest as the projectors made it materialize behind her to the mound where Babe Ruth stood.

The best baseball player of all time hit it and the ball flew high, high into the sky above the stadium, where it joined others, exploding into pretty light, while behind them, on the stage, performers that were eternally young proceeded to perform their greatest hits.

Above the stadium, the large advertising screen had come to life - and amongst the ruckus on the field, it started its message:

The Im Technologies Logo came up, filling the screen and all nine Lovelys winked and waved and smiled once at the camera, before they flew past, exiting the screen as glowing, colorful projections.

They were enormous as they flew through the arena towards the sky and Jeongyeon saw Navely - and maybe it was a glitch, but she thought she saw Navely winking at her as it rotated around its own axis, giggling, and followed its friends up to the dark sky, vanishing like a shooting star.

The screen showed a montage of all the craziness that was going on in the stadium: Sport teams competing, singers and artists performing, activists and politicians giving speeches. They were all holograms.

“ImTechnology,” the screen announced. “Lets you experience any game, any concert, any event wherever you are - all over the world. Premiering the live projection of the opening ceremony of 2024 Olympic Games from Paris in a stadium near you. Experience the future. Now. With Im Technology Now, the experience of the future.”

Jeongyeon looked at the screen and watched as a National Animal of South Korea, the Siberian Tiger, appeared on screen, as a hologram. She blinked at it, for a moment impressed, and then sudden realization dawned on her. Behind her, Nayeon cackled like a maniac.

She turned around slowly.

It was impressive, she had to admit, but damn, was it scary.

A projection of a tiger, the size of a small freighter, crawled over the rim of the stadium, into the arena. It climbed down all the ranks, large and bright and gleaming golden, then reared its head, roaring, before shaking its massive, gleaming body. Small specks of light evaporated from it, rising skywards.

It looked glorious, the size and the light emanating from it, but it was also a massive carnivorous tiger, larger than a T-Rex. Jeongyeon moved her body in front of Nayeon, who laughed against her ear, as her arms went around her midsection. “It’s just curved and bundled light,” Nayeon snickered.

But Jeongyeon didn’t care. It was a massive tiger, and while she stood in front of Nayeon, she reached backwards, her hands on Nayeon’s arms. The girl clung to her, laughing, and it seemed like Nayeon was protecting and calming down Jeongyeon and not vice versa.

The tiger crawled down, and roared once more, then it eyed the far end of the stadium where Jeongyeon, Nayeon and the others stood and the animal crouched down.

“Goddammit, Nayeon,” Jeongyeon whispered and tightened her hold around the girl pressed against her back.

Nayeon laughed.

The muscles of the enormous beast tightened and with a roar, it leaped forward. The last thing Jeongyeon saw were the teeth and the enormous muzzle, the size of a helicopter. She tightened her grasp around Nayeon and braced herself and then - everything was gone.

The stadium was black. The ruckus had dissipated, like a bad prank.

The large advert screen only featured the words: “Applause” in tiny letters, blinking.

Jeongyeon had witnessed the witching hour - and now it was over.

She whipped around to Nayeon, her hands on her upper arms. “You have to warn people! This is - this … this thing is like instant heart attacks for some people!”

Nayeon waved dismissively. “I’ll have the lawyers write up something for this.” Then she smiled and looked up at the other girl. “What do you think?”

“Well.” Jeongyeon cleared her throat. She let go of Nayeon and stepped back. “It’s quite - it’s quite something. I mean -” She cleared her throat once more, and decided to be honest with her. “It’s the most impressive thing I have ever seen.”

“I know.” Nayeon smiled. “Thank you,” she said lightly and then side-stepped around her.

Irene still stood there as a ghost.

“Besides things like this,” Nayeon waved at the stadium. “You can also use it as a communication system.” She pointed at Irene in her ghostly form. “I’m currently letting some of our engineers play around with it. All the error logs are routed toward me, because God knows I’m really not interested in all their giggling, but I really want to eradicate all the bugs before we introduce it to the public.” She straightened her posture. “Anyway. Take that, Steve Jobs! It will be the final presentation at Im Tech Expo, right after the new Constellation Line Tablet. I’m planning to blow everyone’s mind to pieces.”

“About the presentation,” Jeongyeon said. “We still have to go through the security details.” She turned toward Jihyo. “Also concerning the concert on the last day.”

“Ah, yes, Chuu’s concert.” Jihyo nodded. “You’ll have to talk Tzuyu about this as well.”

“We are planning to use some of this in her concert. I mean, if you blow people’s minds, you gotta do it properly, right?” Nayeon grinned. She turned towards Irene. “How’s the data?”

“From my side, stable,” the silvery ghost of Irene said. She looked at something outside of their view, then back at Nayeon. “I have another ninety minutes of compiling left.”

“Alright. I’ll come over to review the data and then we’ll proceed.” Nayeon suddenly smiled. “How does dinner sound?” 

Irene smiled back. “Perfect.”

There was a little something going on between them that Jeongyeon couldn’t place and which she didn’t like.

Did they meet for dinner as in a date? Was this the next level where Nayeon would actually break the three months barrier with this girl? Was this serious(™)?

Her eyes pingponged from one to the other and then back - and an uncomfortable churning settled deep in her stomach, as her mental cinema screen showed her kissing and worse between the two of them - in 4K with THX sound.

Jeongyeon had never been much interested in Nayeon’s conquests, but Jeongyeon felt an irrational, red, hot anger, mostly directed at herself.

“Are you going to take the helicopter?” Jeongyeon asked. “I’ll inform the pilot and just get my stuff from the car -”

But Nayeon waved her off. “No, it’s fine. I’m just doing lab stuff today and nobody will shoot me off the roof of my own building.” Her smile was sweet but a bit tired. “Technically, the only thing you need to do this month is taking care of the security concept for the expo. Irene and I will be fine.”

_ Irene and her will be fine _ , a particularly nasty part of her mind repeated. Fine.

_ Fine  _ was such a small word and it covered and included all sorts of nice and terrible things. Did Nayeon want to be alone with Irene, because this was a business appointment slash date?

Did they go out after work was done? Or even worse, was this nothing more than a charade and work itself was already the date? Did they kiss in Nayeon’s lab or hotel or wherever Irene was staying? Did they do more?

Jeongyeon could suddenly see them smiling and being so fucking happy, it made Jeongyeon’s bile rise in her stomach. The mere thought of them in the same room made Jeongyeon a terrible, hot, angry kind of sick.

“Why are you staring at me like this?” Nayeon asks, frowning.

_ I hate that you are spending so much time with that girl. I hate that she’s so nice and pretty. I hate that you are getting along so well. I hate that you might be kissing her tonight. I hate that I feel like I’m being tossed aside. That I’m scared of being tossed aside. I hate that you prefer spending time with her instead of me. I hate all of this. _

“It’s nothing.” Then she walked away, hoping that her walk didn’t look too much like stomping.

She felt the gaze of all the other girls in her back.

*

The K-Pop idol named Chuu would have annoyed Jeongyeon under different kinds of circumstances. She was young and enthusiastic and her happiness spiked all the time, flowing off her, in bright, gleaming waves. She liked most people. She was happy to see most people. She  _ cared _ for most people. She loved Jeongyeon to bits and pieces.

Jeongyeon really tried to hate her lots, but Chuu brought enormous buckets of fried chicken for all the staff members and she had called Jeongyeon cool - twice - and Sooyoung, stoic, statuesque, grumpy Sooyoung; Sooyoung was a stoic, statuesque puddle on the floor when Chuu reached up to feed her bodyguard a piece of chicken as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Sooyoung noticed Jeongyeon’s gaze and her own darkened. “Not a single word,” she whispered, while Chuu was busy cleaning her hands with a wet tissue.

Jeongyeon smiled. “Not from me.” But she still snickered, even if just to annoy Sooyoung.

Jeongyeon liked them both. Despite their opposite personalities, they liked each other and played well together. They were good people and amazing professionals, both good at their oh-so contrary jobs.

They reminded Jeongyeon of herself and Nayeon in some ways and it made her like them even more and made her feel uncomfortable all the same.

Chuu had brought some of her entourage: Her managers Haseul and Vivi, two friendly, if not stressed girls, that attempted to keep Chuu’s daily schedule organized. While Haseul was friendly yet constantly stressed, Vivi provided a constant sense of calm for the slightly younger woman.

Currently Haseul was in the back of the room, trying not to snap at one of Chuu’s advertisers on the phone, while Vivi watched her, slightly worried and amused.

Chuu threw her wet tissue away, then turned toward her bodyguard. “These days I have received many letters of fans, asking if I have a mommy kink.”

Sooyoung froze. Jeongyeon almost spat out her piece of chicken.

Sooyoung cleared her throat very carefully and wiped her hands. “Really? And do you think you do?” she asked.

There was something in Chuu’s gaze that reminded her of Nayeon. Nayeon was almost always the most intelligent person in the room and sometimes she regarded people with an untypical patience, waiting for them to catch up.

“I don’t know,” Chuu said. It seemed that she waited for Sooyoung to say something, but just when Sooyoung was about to, Chuu continued. “I mean, you practically raised Yeojin and you adore your mom. Plus, you take care of me pretty well.” 

“Haseul raised Yeojin,” Sooyoung said. “And Vivi.” She seemed to be confused by the topic, if anything. “And we all like our moms, I mean.” She frowned. “Is this about wanting to adopt another puppy?”

Chuu took a deep sigh and shook her head. “I think I’d rather want to scream at someone?”

“What?” Sooyoung asked.

“Nothing,” Chuu said, blinking at her in a rapid and overly innocent way, then her hands fell down heavily on the armrests of her chair.

Haseul decided to change the topic, as she returned from her cellphone meeting. “So. Yoo Jeongyeon. Where’s your boss? I’m punctual and I’m never punctual. This has to count for something.”

The room inside the huge conference building that was at the center of the Im Tech Expo’s premises was decidedly Nayeon-less. It also lacked Jihyo, Irene and Chaeyoung. The only person Jeongyeon had already managed to make punctual as well was Seulgi, mostly because they had come together.

Seulgi got along with Jeongvely in the Other Car way better, had been fascinated by the talking elevators in the building and was generally happy to be here.

“They have Segways here,” Seulgi said, excitedly. “You move around on Segways in the entire area! I love Segways so much!”

Sooyoung cast her a dark glance. “Is that why you choose to work in the mall? Because you get a discount on all the food _ and _ a free Segway to use all day?”

Seulgi shrugged, not even embarrassed. “Maybe.” Then her expression caught some enthusiasm once more. “I hear Im Technology Segways are super fast!”

Jeongyeon didn’t react to it and turned toward Chuu. “The CEO probably took a late helicopter,” she offered helpfully.

Jeongyeon could see Sooyoung look at Seulgi, wondering if Seulgi was being sarcastic, but most of the time, she wasn’t. She just met Sooyoung’s gaze with unguarded honesty, while slowly nibbling on her chicken wing.

As if on a sign, the door opened and Jihyo burst in, wrapped in an aura made of equal amounts of stress, professionalism and the will to get this over with as efficiently as possible.

“Hello, everyone,” she said and gave a short nod at everyone. “Im Nayeon will be here in a moment and then we’ll have a small tour of the complex, including a showcase of our special project.” Jihyo nodded at Chuu and her entourage, who gave her a bright smile and thumbs up, and greeted each of them personally.

Then she zeroed in on Seulgi. “Miss Kang. Nice meeting you again after so long. I’m particularly glad to have you supporting our security that evening.”

Seulgi smiled and dropped the chicken bone into the bucket in front of her. “The pleasure is all mine. I don’t want to leave Jeong here alone as well.” Seulgi grinned at Jeongyeon for a moment, exchanging a gaze.

Jeongyeon subtly handed her a tissue. Chicken barbecue sauce had painted a second smile over Seulgi’s first, but Jihyo didn’t even comment. She just nodded, because if Seulgi was good enough for Jeongyeon, she was good enough for Jihyo.

Jihyo’s cellphone gave a small vibration and Jeongyeon noticed the yellow Jively flash up on the screen. Its expression was serious as it exchanged a few words with Jihyo. Nobody could hear - the words only came through Jihyo’s singular earpiece.

She nodded at herself, then clapped her hands. “Alright. We’ll meet Nayeon at the stage. She wants to give you a hands on demonstration.”

Seulgi leaned over to Jeongyeon. “Is that code for something?”

“She’s late and buried in work.”

“I see.” Seulgi leaned back.

Jihyo, being good at her job, led the group out with some small talk. Haseul constantly cast her phone a glance, until Vivi, wordlessly pried it from her fingers and took care of it. She could unlock it with her fingerprint - and Jeongyeon wondered how close these two were.

Seulgi and Jeongyeon followed them in the back.

“How’s the thing with the pretty girl at the mall going?” Jeongyeon asked, while Chuu, to Jihyo’s shock, had hooked her arm cordially under hers and dragged her along.

“It’s not going well at all,” Seulgi answered, true heartbreak apparent on her face. “She didn’t show up again. I met her once and I could tell that she was happy to see me, but she said she was incredibly busy and then she disappeared again.” She took a deep sigh. “I haven’t seen her since.”

“But you said she was interested?”

“By what I could tell!” Seulgi threw her hands. “But then again - I’m not the best at these things.”

Jeongyeon shot a glance at Chuu, attached to Jihyo’s arm, and Sooyoung, looming behind them. “Neither of us are. Hyunjin maybe.”

“Maybe,” Seulgi said, deep in thought.

The Im Expo took place in an enormous area Nayeon had thrown half an army of gardeners and architects at. There was an artificial, tiny, many-armed river dividing the entire thing, forming small islands and on each, a pavilion was located where companies, countries and subsidiaries of Im Technologies could show off their products.

The center of it all was the Im Needle, a large building, designed like a bud of a flower, ready to be opened. Wavy structures, like leaves extended in all four directions, supporting the main construction.

The front part of the center could, indeed, open up to reveal a stage, facing the river and the many pavilions and an enormous field of grass. It was where Chuu would hold her concert and Im Technologies would showcase their hologram technology.

It was there where the group stopped and got out of the small, electrical Segways that zipped along the entirety of the expo campus.

Jeongyeon noticed Nayeon immediately. She stood in the middle of the stage, Irene nowhere to be seen, and had a conversation with both Chaeyoung and Dahyun. When Chaeyoung noticed Chuu, she dragged Dahyun’s sleeve so harshly, the other girl’s shoulder got exposed.

“What?” Jeongyeon could see her mouth, then, she noticed Chuu as well.

Jeongyeon nodded solemnly to herself. They had both gone into fangirl mode. Their brains would be lost to the world for the remainder of the day.

Nayeon was completely unaffected as she greeted the newcomers, while Dahyun almost fell off the stage, if Chaeyoung hadn’t caught her.

“... and those two losers are Son Chaeyoung and Kim Dahyun, some of the brightest minds this planet has ever produced if they aren’t drooling.”

Dahyun slowly flushed, but Chaeyoung managed to say something. “Your Love Shot MV was so amazing!”

Chuu giggled. “Why thank you! It’s always nice to meet fans. Do the two of you want a picture?”

“With the real you?” Chaeyoung asked, excited. “Of course!”

Chuu frowned and the movement that was about to produce the cellphone from her pocket froze. “The … real me?”

“Maybe we show her first and then we have the picture session, no?” Nayeon suggested, dryly.

Chaeyoung nodded, happily. “Sure!” She grinned at Chuu. “You are going to like this!”

“Your mind will be blown, actually.” Nayeon said.

“Like splattered all across the grass. With some maybe on the stage as well.”

“That was too much,” Dahyun informed her.

“That was too much?” Chaeng asked.

“That was too much,” Dahyun nodded.

Chaeyoung made them all sit down at the only chairs in front of the open air stage, where during the real presentations, thousands of fans would be cheering.

When everyone had taken a seat, both of them brandished their cellphones and with flickers of Davely and Chaengvely, the stage darkened around then the four large, vertical screens in the back of it came to life.

Each showed one of Chuu’s past MVs, each another color: Red, black, white and yellow. They showed some scenes of it with the songs seeping into each other and then the music changed.

Chuu looked at the screen, happy but confused. So far nothing extraordinary had happened.

But Jeongyeon knew what to look for. There was a flicker in some of the projectors by the lights and she knew it had started. The MVs changed slightly to scenes where Chuu was walking right toward the camera - and to everyone’s surprise - and Jeongyeon’s, even though she was used to it, Jihyo’s, who still was impressed by the entire thing, Chuu’s and Sooyoung’s, the four Chuu’s on the screen walked toward the camera …

… and right out of the screen and continued to dance to their respective MVs as pretty realistic, three dimensional holograms on the stage.

Chuu stared. Haseul stared. Vivi stared. Seulgi stared.

Sooyoung cursed. “Holy shit.”

Chaeyoung coughed in the back. “You haven’t seen anything yet.” She pushed something on her phone and parts of the MVs, as three-dimensional projections, appeared on the stage, fake set pieces, that changed color and size. A huge armchair from the Love Shot MV floated slowly, rotating, over the audience.

“We have made 3D copies of your MVs to project them here. You’ll be in the middle, of course, and all your backup dancers -  _ will be you _ .” Nayeon grinned and pointed. “Do you see the circles on the grass leading away from the stage?”

Indeed, someone had used tape to mark car-sized circles that led away from the stage. The group nodded.

“Watch this,” Dahyun grinned.

A large hologram of Chuu materialized on the stage, around six times Jeongyeon’s size. She winked at the non-existent audience and then took steps off. Each of her feet met the middle of one of the circles, as she walked away. They were markers, Jeongyeon realized, so the technicians and security knew where she stepped.

The giant of a hologram disappeared after half a dozen steps and then faded.

Irene stepped out from the wings of the stage as Chuu and Haseul exploded in enthusiasm.

The pretty girl Jeongyeon had last seen as a projection, gave her a small wave, and Jeongyeon waved back.

“This is incredible!” Chuu squealed. “Can you do everything? Can you make me taller and smaller? Can you do ANY of my MVs?”

Dahyun was happy to be the target of all of Chuu’s questions. The faint blush suited her. “Theoretically,” she said.

Chaeyoung pushed her out of the way. “Of course!”

Jeongyeon watched the display of enthusiasm from some distance. She watched Nayeon talk to Vivi, who nodded at what Nayeon told her. The girl Jeongyeon was supposed to protect looked exhausted but happy. When it came to Nayeon, it was one of her best states of mind. It made her happy when everything else didn’t.

Suddenly arms found themselves around Jeongyeon’s shoulders and she felt someone back hugging her. A sweet, happy perfume tickled her nose and she could see a wisp of blonde hair and immediately knew who it was.

“She’s pretty, no?” Sana asked, close to her ear.

Jeongyeon relaxed, surprised she had not even noticed her own tension. She looked over at Dahyun, still half swooning at the bright smiling idol. “I guess so, yes.”

Sana giggled. “Chuu? Yes, definitely. She’s so sweet and kind. I’m actually a big fan.”

“You are not jealous?”

Again, Sana laughed. “I know who Dahyun is coming home to and I have never doubted her commitment to me. But that’s not who I was talking about.”

Jeongyeon turned to look at Sana, and could almost feel her eyelashes tickling her. Sana had no sense for closeness - or too strong a sense for it. Jeongyeon had learned to live with it, because it never meant anything dangerous. “What do you mean?”

Sana nodded at the scenes in front of them. “Look. Your friend. She has seen the prettiest thing in the room.”

“My - friend?”

Jeongyeon followed Sana’s nod. Seulgi was standing a few steps away. She looked like she had seen a ghost - and in a way, she had. Her eyes were large and she was pale as she stared at Irene, who was busy with something on the stage.

Jeongyeon felt like she was watching a movie as Nayeon helped Irene step down from the stage. For a moment they were too close and Jeongyeon wondered if they showcased their intimacy, but then Nayeon quickly stepped away, smiling. Irene blushed and removed a strand of hair from her face, then greeted everyone.

Seulgi still stared.

When Jeongyeon moved, Sana’s arms fell away from her. The other bodyguard almost flinched when Jeongyeon reached out to touch her shoulder.

“Seulgi? You okay?”

Seulgi carefully wet her lips. “Who is that?”

“Her? That’s Irene. Irene Bae.”

“Her Korean name doesn’t happen to be Bae Joohyun?” Seulgi asked, still staring at Irene, who had not yet seen her.

Jeongyeon hesitated. “I don’t know - I - Jeongvely? What’s Irene Bae’s Korean name?”

Jeongvely beeped in acknowledgement of the question, then the answer came quickly. “Bae Joohyun.”

“There you have it,” Jeongyeon said and when Seulgi didn’t immediately answer, she leaned forward to meet her eyes. “Are you well?”

Seulgi swallowed and swallowed again. “She’s - I mean, I have - I mean. Jeongyeon. She’s the girl!”

“The girl? What girl?”

“The girl, the girl! The girl from the mall that I met and had lunch with!” Seulgi said. “The one that disappeared for holidays!” She looked over at the group.

“Well, she was working on this project with Nayeon,” Jeongyeon said. “And she was really busy.”

Nayeon was touching Irene’s shoulder and laughing at something Irene had said.

Seulgi’s expression dimmed at the sight and she still continued looking. “Are - are those two … together?”

_ I think so. I think they make out in each goddamn conference room, once they are alone with each other, even though I can’t prove it! _

Jeongyeon shook the voice away. She was at work. She couldn’t give in to that.

“I don’t know,” she said.

Seulgi looked like a puppy whose owner had kicked her and she didn’t know why, especially when Nayeon didn’t remove her hand from Irene’s arm. She almost pouted. “You don’t know,” she said quietly.

It was then when Nayeon - and by proxy Irene - noticed them.

Irene’s eyes widened at Seulgi’s presence, while Seulgi just calmly held her glance, as Nayeon waved them over.

“I’ve heard that you are supporting Jeongyeon at the Expo,” Nayeon said. “I’m very grateful that someone has this loser’s back so we’ll get through this in one piece.”

Seulgi and Irene looked at each other for another long moment, before Seulgi met Nayeon’s gaze. “I’m also glad she asked,” she said slowly. “We’ll make sure everything goes smoothly.”

It didn’t sound angry, but Jeongyeon thought she detected some confusion in her voice.

Nayeon’s manners caught up to her. “By the way, Seulgi, this is Irene. She’s my - she developed a major part of the projectors. Because of her, it’s actually in multicolor.”

Seulgi slipped back into her professional side Jeongyeon could see the switch that had been flipped, as Seulgi’s expression changed to a friendly politeness. “Nice meeting you, my name is Kang Seulgi.”

There was a moment between the two of them that Jeongyeon couldn’t quite place, but both she and Nayeon noticed.

Jeongyeon caught Nayeon’s glance - and the girl smiled at her and lifted her eyebrows. “Are you ready for the ride, cowboy?”

Jeongyeon wished for the girl not to phrase it that way, but managed to nod back. “I am. Don’t worry.”

Seulgi bowed to Irene. “It’s nice meeting you, Irene Bae.” She smiled hesitantly and still confused and Jeongyeon wondered if this teddy bear of a girl was even able to be angry at  _ anything _ .

Nayeon nodded, her eyes flicking between Irene and Seulgi. There was an amused smile on her lips. “Alright, then, everyone. Let’s get on with it.”

Jeongyeon caught her eye, wondering what was going on - and Nayeon’s subsequent wink, before the girl marched towards the stage, Chuu, Haseul and Irene on her heels. Her hand brushed against Jeongyeon’s when she passed her, but Jeongyeon was too slow and too stunted to react.

Then Jeongyeon followed in some distance, not sure what to think. She could still feel the ghost of Nayeon’s hand in the evening when she returned home.

*

Nayeon’s big day for the Im Technology Expo was also the last of the entire event.

It had been a crazy, flurry of time, filled with presentations and Nayeon shaking hands and Jeongyeon following her and casting each and every person around Nayeon dark glances. There hadn’t been a lot of time to talk to Nayeon about personal things during the event.

Every day started early in the morning and Jeongyeon fell into her bed late at night only to have the entire thing repeated again and again. For a week.

Countries, companies and investors wanted Nayeon’s technology with bits and pieces of what it was having already leaked through. Journalists were swarming Nayeon wherever she showed up, along with tech experts, bloggers and more and more influencers. The general mixture of people changed flavor during the last two days of the expo.

More and more people from the entertainment industry arrived, because not only was Nayeon going to present her new technology; no, the hottest new idol in the entirety of the industry was going to close the event with a concert - and this attracted fans, both the regular and the weird kind.

Nayeon had her fair shares of those too - and with her own presentation looming on the horizon, Jeongyeon was starting to feel tense. The appointments where Seulgi joined them grew in number too and when Jeongyeon woke up on the last, the seventh day of spectacle, she just wanted it to be over.

Usually, afterwards, a crazy week like this meant holidays for Nayeon and the Special Development Team, but now that it included Irene, Jeongyeon just wanted to return to her apartment and sleep everything off in her bed.

“You look like you want to murder someone,” Nayeon said next to her.

Two people were standing close to her, putting all sorts of cables on her for her sound equipment. One taped a small microphone against her cheek.

“I do want to murder someone,” Jeongyeon said, and involuntarily her gaze fell on Irene, standing in a small group with Dahyun and Sana.

Irene truly sucked.

“So … since this is the last day of holidays, I thought we could go somewhere special,” Nayeon said. The technicians disappeared and the makeup people replaced them, doing some last touch ups.

“Really? Like where?” Jeongyeon asked. She was a bit curious as to which place Nayeon wanted to go, which she was inevitably going to miss, because she didn’t want to watch Irene and Nayeon flirt during her - Jeongyeon’s - holidays.

“The renovation of my parents’ house has finished,” Nayeon said.

Jeongyeon peeked around the corner to the stage where Seulgi sat high above on one of the light towers. She caught Jeongyeon’s glance and gave her a thumbs up, then continued to survey the crowd.

A ton of security officers were patrolling the front of the stage, many from Im Tower security, sent by Tzuyu, but none of them had the kind of special close protection training Seulgi and Jeongyeon had enjoyed.

“So you want to go to your parents’ house?” Jeongyeon asked and directed her glance again at Nayeon.

They had put some glittery shi -  _ stuff _ on Nayeon’s face and although she was “just” wearing business chick, it didn’t help at all. She was terribly pretty.

“Jeongyeon,” Nayeon said and touched her arm. “You look like a thousand miles away. Are you okay?”

_ Might as well be a thousand miles away, _ Jeongyeon thought, but out loud, she said: “I’m fine. I’m good. I’m -”

“Two minutes, Miss Im,” a headphone-wearing idiot said.

Jeongyeon wanted to strangle him. Then she turned toward Nayeon and took her by the shoulders. “Good luck. Break a leg. And be careful. If something weird happens - which will not happen, because I am there - don’t kick the guy in the nuts, like last time, but run instead. Every second in their proximity -”

“- is unnecessarily endangering me.” Nayeon rolled her eyes. “I know, I know. Plus, if I just run away, we might avoid the lawsuit.”

“And spare Jihyo’s nerves,” Jeongyeon added.

They both nodded solemnly in remembrance.

“Now go.” She patted Nayeon’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine. I promise.”

Nayeon gave her a bright, happy, gleaming smile and flexed her arm. “I know,” she said. “I was born to do this.”

And Jeongyeon watched her go, leave for the stage, to the one place she could only follow her when she was truly in danger.

Irene stopped Nayeon halfway - and Jeongyeon froze at the sight. They exchanged a few words and the admiration between the two of them was obvious. Nayeon smiled brightly at her and even more so when Irene leaned in to peck her cheek.

If it was on the lips or the cheek Jeongyeon couldn’t say - but it was enough for her fists to clench by her sides. When Irene caught Jeongyeon’s gaze over Nayeon’s shoulder, Jeongyeon looked away quickly.

She hoped that her face hadn’t betrayed her and showed something unfortunate, like anger or jealousy. It was time anyway to take her position and when Jeongyeon quickly walked away, it was not cowardice, it was because she had to do her job now.

While Jeongyeon started to make her way toward her designated vanguard spot, Nayeon stepped on stage.

The crowd roared at her appearance and some of the spotlights went off, following her. “So many of you have made it!” Nayeon called out, her voice echoing through the vast lawn stretching out in front of the stage. “Hello, my name is Im Nayeon, CEO of Im Technologies, and I’m here to absolutely amaze you tonight.”

Another roar. Jeongyeon tapped her ear. A small sound tingled and she knew she was online. “Seulgi? How’s it going?”

“All clear. People are excited, but not overly so. Looks all good,” Seulgi reported from her position looming over the spectacle.

“Alright. I’ll take my position. Let me know if you see something,” Jeongyeon said.

“Roger.” There was a small sound and Seulgi was gone.

Jeongyeon made her way down into the small space between the stage and the audience, reserved for technicians and security personnel. A steel fence, the height of her waist, kept the audience at bay. She followed the path, ignoring the huge amounts of people pressing against it, to the other side, where a sound technician attended a small booth in an elevated position.

It wasn’t that high above: only six steps up a tiny staircase, but it was enough for Jeongyeon to have a view over the entire venue. She nodded at the technician who had his post there and then started to pace, up and down, up and down.

The venue darkened and people started to scream and clap and holler in anticipation.

It had begun.

Nayeon joked and laughed on screen, walking up and down, behind her products flashing on the screen that had made Im Technology what it was: The biggest technology company on the planet.

So far, so good.

Chuu’s concert would start soon with all the special effects showcasing the projection technology and there would be a small, crucial moment where Nayeon would step down from the stage and would be close to the first few rows of the audience.

There were still security personnel involved and all the steel fences, but it provided a prospective moment of weakness, where a particularly passionate individual could try and grab her.

It was unlikely, but it was Jeongyeon’s job to be concerned nonetheless. And as if Jeongyeon had had a premonition, she heard Seulgi’s voice.

“Jeong,” Seulgi whispered into her ear. “First row, on the left.”

“I can see it,” Jeongyeon said, as she watched a man reach over the metal fence, feebly trying to reach for Nayeon who was still busy hyping up the crowd. “Ok, Kim,” she said and two security men, large and muscular, were already on the way. They made sure that the man was pulled out of the crowd.

There was a short scuffle and Jeongyeon barely noticed how Nayeon announced Chuu’s appearance, whose MVs started to spill out of the four screens in the back. The audience started to catch on what this was about and screamed, as a literal rainbow fell down onto the stage, while colorful furniture floated through the air.

Four Chuus - Jeongyeon would have cringed at the sight - sang a medley of her greatest hits, the real one still waiting in the back.

But Jeongyeon didn’t care.

Something was wrong.

Nayeon climbed down from the stage and wasn’t aware that at the other end of the pit, both Ok and Kim were struggling with the man they had caught.

All three - the security officers and the troublemaker - were nothing more than black schemes in the light mode of Chuu’s come-to-life MVs, but Jeongyeon could see how OK’s body suddenly tensed and then fell to the ground.

Jeongyeon cursed.

“Do you see that?” Seulgi’s voice immediately in her ear.

“I do - I do! What the fuck is going on down there!” She made her way down from her elevated position.

A pause. Seulgi’s voice was quiet, reasonable. “I think he has a stun gun.”

“Fuck!” Jeongyeon cursed and hastened her steps. And again: “Fuck, fuck! How did he get past entrance security!?”

“Just be careful. Tzuyu’s people are on the way.”

“Fuck!”

Some people in the audience caught on - some tried to cross the fence as well - and Jeongyeon noticed that Nayeon noticed as well. She started to walk faster toward the exit, various security people trying to hold back some of Nayeon’s most ‘passionate’ fans.

There were too many and the audience pushed from behind against those at the front; Chuu’s _ Heart Attack _ and bright colors made everything surreal, painted differently every second and god, that girl was just so forkin’ loud!

_ Pounding more and more, I’ll give it all, take my heart, _ she sang and Jeongyeon cursed louder, as she tried to make her way towards Nayeon through all the craziness that threatened to spill over.

People started to push toward the fence and the only thought Jeongyeon could catch was: “Nayeon, Nayeon, Nayeon,” and, a smaller part cursed: “Where are Tzuyu’s goddamn reinforcements?!”

The guy with the stun gun closed in on Nayeon and she stepped back. Jeongyeon could see her talk to him, her hands lifted in a peaceable gesture, but he didn’t seem to react well.

Nayeon stepped back and looked over her shoulder, nervous. Their eyes met, Nayeon’s pleading, Jeongyeon’s glance full of determination. “I’m coming!” she mouthed and Nayeon, shaking, nodded.

And then their line of sight got interrupted as someone crossed the steel fence between the audience and the restricted area.

Jeongyeon’s instincts kicked in as she pushed the person out of her way. Her priority was not the party goers or the concert attendees, it was Nayeon.

And for a moment, the panic got the better of her. What if that moment where she met Nayeon’s eyes, the girl asking for help, was the last time they had met?

What if she would find her and what if something -

The idea ran like cold water through Jeongyeon’s veins, manifested itself in a icy, cold ball in the middle of her chest to push as cold sweat throat her skin. She wielded that panic like a weapon and felt it make her stronger, faster, more determined,  _ more terrified _ .

There were so many people and if Nayeon, who was on the smaller side, fell, they could stomp her to death.

The man in front of Jeongyeon stumbled to the side, only to reveal two others that had already crossed the fence. She pushed the second one away and the third one noticed her and made a big mistake. Probably drunk or high, he swung a fist at her.

_ Yes _ , she thought.  _ Do me that favor. Come between me and her. _

She ducked quickly and her fist made easy contact with the guy’s ribs. He was comically slow in comparison to Sooyoung, even in the way he crumbled to the floor.

And then Nayeon was visible once more.

She had retreated further, backing away from her attacker. “I swear, you don’t wanna do this.” Her voice projected a kind of self-confidence that only existed to cover her panic, Jeongyeon knew. Beneath the flimsy wrapping of brave words was sheer terror, as more people tried to grab her. “If you try something, my bodyguard will wipe the floor with you.”

The guy sneered in front of her sneered. “What bodyguard?”

When Jeongyeon grabbed her shoulder, Nayeon flinched and whipped around.

“It’s me, it’s me,” Jeongyeon managed and moved herself between Mr. Stun Gun and the girl she was supposed to protect.

“This kind of bodyguard!” Nayeon hollered at the guy, shaking his fist at him past Jeongyeon’s shoulder. “She will crush you!”

Jeongyeon immediately noticed, as her eyes went from the gun to the man’s face, that he had no idea what he was doing. It made things easier and more unpredictable at the same time.

She could feel Nayeon cling to her jacket and Jeongyeon knew she had to get her out of here. The situation was not under control, there wasn’t enough security involved and someone had managed to smuggle in a frickin’ weapon!

Heads were going to roll in management - if Jihyo wouldn’t make sure they did, Jeongyeon would make them roll - literally so.

The guy stepped forward and made a swing at Jeongyeon, but she retreated.

Another swing - almost brushing against her shoulder - and a third which provided an opening. Jeongyeon’s heel fell heavily on his outstretched, lower arm and he lost his weapon. It seemed to make him angry, she could tell, as he lunged forward, but without a weapon, he was no match for her.

Jeongyeon grabbed his arm and pulled. He stumbled forward and Jeongyeon just lifted her other arm in a way that his face - more specifically his nose - made contact with Jeongyeon’s elbow, because it was suddenly in the way of his forward stumble.

She lifted her knee in a kick and then he fully crumbled to the floor.

She kicked the stun gun aside and pulled Nayeon closer. “You okay?”

Nayeon - pale but unharmed - nodded. “Get me out of here.”

Jeongyeon looked up and this time she didn’t curse, held herself back, but this entire security thing as a clusterfuck, as more people spilled over the fence. She turned to Nayeon once more, her lips by her ear. “Hold on to me. Tightly. You can’t hurt me, I promise, but you gotta hold on tightly to me.”

“Okay.” Her voice was shaky but stable.

Then Jeongyeon moved forward.

She was lithe and thin, but strong enough to use people’s momentum to move them out of the way. The first half a dozen or so were no problem, but then there were too many and the door to the exit was still too far away. Elbows and shoulders and bodies were pushed against the two of them - and while Nayeon didn’t say anything, just held on, Jeongyeon knew the other girl started to panic. She was out of her element, she was smaller than most people and by no means as trained as Jeongyeon.

She would get crushed, easily, just by force of physics.

Jeongyeon pulled her closer - and even closer - and then cursed, loudly so. Turning to her, she leaned in. “You gotta hold on tightly.”

A moment of confusion flickered over Nayeon’s face, because she already was, then Jeongyeon leaned down and picked her up in her arms and turned around - just in time to literally kick someone out of the way.

“Where’s the damn security?” Nayeon whispered against Jeongyeon’s ear - and Jeongyeon wondered as well, but had no answer.

Nayeon was so light, she noticed, as she made her way through the crowd, and before another person would go down either by elbow or by her foot, suddenly Seulgi was there,  _ also _ equipped with a stun gun.

Three guys went down at once, revealing her figure. The stun gun flickered with lightning. Jeongyeon wondered for a moment if that thing was even legal. But that was only secondarily important.

Suddenly the way to the exit was free.

“Quickly,” Seulgi said. She shook her head as she led Jeongyeon through the steel doors into the backstage area of the concert. “There was an incident - probably drug-related - in front of the venue and security went to check, which is why so few of them were in here.”

Somewhere from the wings Irene appeared out of nowhere, worried, and when Jeongyeon noticed her, she stepped back immediately, her hold around Nayeon tightening.

“Is she - is she alright?” Irene asked, out of breath, clearly wanting to step closer, but something in Jeongyeon’s face stopped her.

“I’m afraid that’s currently none of your business,” Jeongyeon said.

“I’m fine,” Nayeon said sharply, struggling against the hold. 

Jeongyeon wouldn’t let her go. Instead she met Seulgi’s eyes. “Make sure Irene and the others are safe. Inform the other close protection officers.”

Seulgi managed to nod as Jeongyeon stalked away, toward the elevator.

Jeongyeon heard Seulgi address Irene. “We have to leave quickly. Im Technologies produces really fast Segways and half a dozen are parked close by.”

Jeongyeon chose to ignore it.

Nayeon had an apartment at the top of Im Needle which was equipped with all the security measures that Jeongyeon deemed necessary. So she promised herself not to let go of the girl until she was up there and had brought at least two security doors between them.

Nayeon, in her arms, tugged at her neck. “Let go of me.”

“I can feel you shaking,” Jeongyeon said. “You can test your walking abilities once we are in your apartment.”

“I can walk by myself!”

“We all know! Stop being so thickheaded!”

“I’m not a child!” Nayeon snapped, struggling against her hold.

“I’m not letting you go!” Jeongyeon shot back.

There was a moment of silent struggle between the two of them and in a rare moment, Nayeon caved. “I hate you when you are being difficult.”

“Right back at you,” Jeongyeon answered. 

Nayeon was completely silent, all the way to the elevator, the way up to the apartment until when Jeongyeon sat her down on the couch in the spacious, clinically clean living room of a place that was never really used.

She immediately got on her feet just to prove that she could stand, and had to sit down a moment later, because dizziness settled in.

Jeongyeon’s hands shot forward to help her, but she swatted them away, almost angrily.

A beat.

“I’m getting you first aid,” Jeongyeon said. “And then we are calling a doctor.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“You are hurt. I could see how someone bumped into you.”

“Jeongyeon, I’m fine.”

“There’s a scratch on your chin,” Jeongyeon said. “It’s on your face. I was just too slow -”

“Jeongyeon -”

“And that guy had a weapon! I should have stayed in front of the stage, not where I was. If Seulgi hadn’t told me -”

This time, Nayeon did get up, shakily so, barely able to stand, but reached out to catch Jeongyeon’s wrists. Jeongyeon tried to shake her off, but at the same time didn’t want Nayeon to lose the only hold that was left to her, so she just stayed rooted to the spot. Staring at the tip of her feet, she shook her head, angry at herself, angry at the world, angry at Nayeon.

“I sucked today.”

Nayeon’s hands went up to her upper arms, to her shoulders, shaking her slightly. “You didn’t suck. You found me, caught me, punched that guy, carried me all the way up here … if not for you, I would have had way more than just that scratch.”

It didn’t do much to help. Jeongyeon looked up, but not at the other girl’s eyes, but at her chin. She reached up to barely touch the tip of her chin. “And then Irene showed up.”

Nayeon’s expression transformed immediately. “What does Irene have to do with anything?”

Jeongyeon shrugged. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Nayeon stepped back, a wall suddenly going up. “Ever since she showed up, you’ve been acting weird.”

“I haven’t been acting weird. I’ve been doing my job. You’ve been busy with Irene, because ultimately what you do and what I do are two completely different things.”

Nayeon narrowed her eyes at her. “Are you  _ jealous _ ?”

Jeongyeon chose to ignore her. “You could have called!”

“ _ You  _ could have called.” Nayeon counted on her fingers. “There were meetings, social gatherings, parties and the usual. The others miss you too!”

“You were so busy! With your new project and whatnot!”

“And what’s exactly ‘ _ whatnot _ ’?”

“And today - today you could have been killed because of your project - and look at you, you got hurt -”

“What exactly do you think I’ve done, Jeongyeon, huh?”

“How about being more reasonable?!”

“Reasonable!” Nayeon stumbled back. “I _ am _ reasonable! When was I ever not reasonable?”

“Like when you got together with Irene?!”

“ _ Irene _ ? Why are you bringing up _ Irene  _ again? I’m trying to lead a stable life instead of getting beat up by my bodyguard friend Sooyoung!”

Jeongyeon’s mouth closed audibly. Then opened again. “How do you know about that?”

“Well, geez, I don’t know, how about my friend comes to work one day, looking like a bulldozer had rearranged her face -”

“It was _ one _ black eye!”

“- and instead of telling me what had happened, I have to go call Korea’s most famous K-Pop idol, so she hands her cellphone to her bodyguard who says that you are a slowpoke -”

“She did not say that!”

“- and that one attempt was enough -”

“ _ Two _ attempts!”

“- to smash in your face!”

“It was  _ one _ attempt and I was temporarily distracted!”

“By  _ what exactly _ ?” Nayeon threw her hands in exasperation.

Jeongyeon stared at her, rolled her jaw and bit her lower lip.

Nayeon’s chest heaved and they suddenly stood so close, Jeongyeon could feel Nayeon’s breath on her chin.  _ (She was fine.) _ Her eyes were wide, her eyebrows slightly crinkled. _ (They were both fine.)  _ She was alive and well and good.  _ (And Jeongyeon had missed her so much.) _

_ (Screw Irene.) _

Jeongyeon stepped closer and Nayeon stepped back. Her calves hit the couch behind her and in order not to fall over, her hands shot forward, holding on to the lapels of Jeongyeon’s jacket.

“What are you doing?” Nayeon asked, her voice hoarse, her eyes widening even further.

Jeongyeon could see in her eyes and the way they flicked to Jeongyeon’s lips that Nayeon already knew what Jeongyeon was going to do.

_ (This is so unprofessional and such a bad idea.) _

Their upper bodies bumped into each other. There was suddenly a lot of warmth and two things happened at the same time:

Jeongyeon slid her arms around Nayeon’s lower body and leaned in to kiss her, hard. There was a pause for a fraction of a second, and then Nayeon kissed her back, just as angry, with lips and teeth and tongue.

Nayeon clawed at Jeongyeon’s front and pressed so hard against the other girl, she almost climbed her like a tree.

None of them knowing where one stopped and the other started.

Nayeon’s grasp around Jeongyeon’s lapels tightened as she allowed herself to fall back onto the couch, taking Jeongyeon along.

The taller girl groaned in protest that was quickly forgotten, as she felt Nayeon’s tongue brush against hers and immediately pushed back. They had a battle for dominance that quickly got out of control, as their kisses grew more passionate, more bitey, deeper, faster, years of frustration and affection and pining suddenly pushing to the surface.

Nayeon’s scent, sweet and deep, jasmin and lemon, crept into Jeongyeon’s nose and the familiarity of it, all the untold secrets she associated with it rose from the mists of her mind.

_ (Nayeon’s smile. Her cackling laughter. Her unexpected care for her friends. Her tears. Her joy. Her wonderful sense of humor. Her ability to drive Jeongyeon crazy and make her want her, so, so much.) _

Nayeon’s taste was intoxicating, even worse ( _ or better? _ ) than Jeongyeon had anticipated: The kind of sweet that made her kiss her more, fight for breath. Her heart pressed against her chest, as Nayeon bit bruising kisses down Jeongyeon’s throat until Jeongyeon managed to tip Nayeon’s chin upwards to catch her lips in another, searing kiss.

Jeongyeon was painfully aware of the girl under her: Her chest pressed against hers, their legs intertwined. She could feel every move Nayeon’s body produced: The breathing, the blood coursing through Nayeon’s veins, her hands clawing at Jeongyeon’s jacket.

They had never been this close before.

Jeongyeon had assumed their first get together would be slower, shyer, with Nayeon initiating the entire thing and Jeongyeon making sure that Nayeon would get in the end what she deserved: everything that Jeongyeon could offer her.

But instead they clawed at each other like animals, Nayeon’s shirt riding up further and further. The girl produces an impatient growl, managing to push Jeongyeon’s jacket off her shoulders and away, leaving her in her white dress shirt and black tie.

She held Jeongyeon close by it, one hand wandering up the front of the shirt, slowly unbuttoning it. The warmth of Nayeon’s skin suddenly magnified as her shirt fell off one shoulder and when she groaned, she could feel Nayeon smirk against her lips.

_ (She had always wondered what it felt like touching Nayeon; it was the warmth of the sun on a kind summer day, the gleam of the ocean, the smell of a field of flowers. _ )

Jeongyeon kissed her harder, on top of her, her lips swollen, as she forced Nayeon to look up by pushing more kisses against her throat, her jaw and finally delivering a bite to her ear. The girl under her flinched and a first moan escaped her - and Jeongyeon realized, there was no stopping her.

Meeting Nayeon’s lips, she wriggled her tongue through, meeting hers, as her hands dragged off Nayeon’s shirt.

And then - Nayeon pressed her hips upwards, meeting hers, brushing her most sensitive spot, the movement striking Jeongyeon’s very core like lightning.

The kiss had gotten out of control and suddenly Jeongyeon tasted blood.

She had bitten Nayeon’s lip bloody.

_ Oh my god. _

Suddenly there was blood on Nayeon’s chin, and some had gotten onto the collar of her white shirt.

Jeongyeon flinched away. “Oh god. Oh, fuck. I’m - I’m so sorry.”

Nayeon didn’t seem to be overly concerned. Her hair was messy and she wiped her mouth with the back of her right hand. “No, it’s fine, I -”

They had almost - Jeongyeon had almost - just right after Nayeon had been hurt, had been threatened, had been frightened; Jeongyeon had not even been able to provide first aid to the girl and had not even called a doctor.

_ (A failure. You are a failure.) _

“Oh god - I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to - and then we - and - oh God.”

She got away from the girl on the couch and the way Nayeon reached out for her almost broke her heart. Jeongyeon could feel tears gather in own eyes.

A sob. “Nayeon - I’m - I’m so -”

The door flew open. Jihyo barged in, Tzuyu accompanying her. “Nayeon, are you -” Her words died on the spot, as she noticed Jeongyeon, buttoning up her shirt, hair a mess, cheeks flushed, lips swollen. And Nayeon was bleeding.

Her eyes flew from one to the other, confusion and suspicion evident. Her voice was sharp but not unkind. “What the hell is going on here? Tzuyu, get the first aid kid!”

Jeongyeon couldn’t face this, couldn’t face her. She cast a last glance at Nayeon  _ (Don’t go!) _ and then picked up her jacket. “I’m - I’m so sorry. So sorry.”

And then she ran - like a coward.

(end chapter 4)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second to last chapter. We are gearing up for all the fluff and the M-rated stuff (for which you are all there, admit it).
> 
> Thanks to  
> Ninna for the Segway, zyraaami for the cheering up, Maria for the cheerleading, leewoong for the really cool Seulrene conversations, 2yeonaus for always letting me bother her with stupid questions, najeongtrash for hyping me up, the Twice writer's group on twitter for all the support, RosesJaeong for knowing my fanfic better than I do and finally all my commenters, likers and followers here and on Twitter. This is for you.  
> Special shout out to Isabel. You know why. <3


	5. five.

CHAPTER FIVE

Jeongyeon’s apartment was large, dark and clean. Every little thing had its place and its nook; it was perfectly organized and ordered, just like Jeongyeon liked it. Today, however, it drove her crazy. The place seemed to close itself around her, getting smaller and smaller, threatening to crash her altogether, as she paced in the living room.

Jeongyeon’s first reaction was complete and utter panic. A panic that seared through her completely, impaled her body and her emotions, refusing to let go. One and a half bottles of soju helped her numb it down - she felt like the panic was trying to burst out of her brain, her chest, clawing through blood and bones to freedom. It was the most desperate she had ever felt.

Had she made a mistake? Was it a mistake? It wasn’t a mistake, right?

She had left to clear her head and because this was something unprofessional to do: just go ahead and kiss her boss!

Oh God.

She had kissed her boss. She had kissed Nayeon!

She remembered immediately - flashbacks of it, of warmth, of a sudden flare up that involved all kinds of confusing feelings, of wanting it so much, then realizing exactly what it was she was doing.

This was the worst thing that could have possibly happened: kissing her, kissing her boss, losing her job over it.

Losing her job.

The idea of it let her spiral deeper into the black hole of desperation. Only half her mind registered her tumbling over to the cabinet, opening it, grabbing the bottle of soju and not bothering to get a glass.

She was going to lose Nayeon, was going to leave Im Technologies, was going to be thrown out on the streets …

She took the first sip and followed the burning feeling down her throat and into her stomach.

A part of her had always known that her relationship with Nayeon had turned unprofessional the moment they had become friends. The moment she had started to laugh at Nayeon’s jokes, helped her pick out new pairs of pajamas, picked her up from clubs and kicked out crazy ex-girlfriends - something that was definitely not her job.

Her job was to show up when Nayeon was in danger. When Nayeon had public speaking to do. When some crazy dimwit decided she was the love of his life and Jeongyeon happily kicked his bottom.

That was her job.

Her job was not …

Her job was not …

She stared at the bottle in her hand, plopped down on the couch and took another sip. The burn intensified along with the slightly foggy feeling in her head.

Jeongyeon’s job was not to make out with Nayeon and love it.

Another sip.

Her job was not to grin when she was smiling.

The burn started to grow. Started to reach for her intestines. Started to seep into her limbs.

Her job was not to touch her arm when it was not necessary, to lean in and whisper to her, to argue with her, to drag her into the car, to step closer to her until she looped her arm around Jeongyeon’s and her job was not to fight those feelings when she accompanied Nayeon like this into a building, Nayeon waving at fans while still clinging to Jeongyeon, with Jeongyeon wrestling down the feeling, the tiny spark in the back of her mind that they looked like a couple.

Blankness followed that thought.

Jeongyeon stared at the black, shut-off smart TV. It was as black as her soul currently felt.

Jeongyeon took another sip. And another. And another.

And suddenly no soju was left and she decided that it was, maybe, a good idea to face the consequences of her actions tomorrow, in the cruel, bright light of the morning.

She stood - and suddenly the world turned 45 degrees and she felt something soft against her cheek.

To her surprise it was the carpet and that she was laying on the carpet.

She had to hold on to it in order not to fall off, still staring at the black TV screen.

_Nayeon. Nayeon. Nayeon._

A sob. Was it her own?

_What have I done?_

Then the blackness of the TV swallowed her up.

She didn’t wake by herself - she woke up to the stern faces of Jihyo and Mina, cold water in her face and someone complaining. She couldn’t make out the words. They sounded wrapped up in cotton candy and were far away, but the voice was Jihyo’s and the tone indicated that Jihyo was complaining.

More water hit her face and then someone dabbed it. A sweet, gentle perfume crept into her nose and Jeongyeon knew immediately that Mina was close.

Someone gathered her up into her arms, while more complaining followed and then she felt herself being put onto the couch.

The cotton candy started to dissipate, melting as if thrown into water.

The voices became clear.

“Is she alive?” Chaeyoung asked, unimpressed.

“Chaeyoung,” Jihyo said sternly. “Of course she is alive. Just continue doing what you are doing.”

Chaeng huffed. “We both know it’s useless, because if she doesn’t want to be found, we won’t be able to find her.”

“Chaeng.”

“Alright, alright.”

“She looks like a zombie,” Momo noted. Someone’s hand removed some hair from Jeongyeon’s forehead. “She also feels like a zombie.”

“Momo.” Mina’s voice was slightly strict, but at the same time soft. “She just drank a lot. She will return to the living.”

Jeongyeon felt the need to comment then. “Don’t want to,” she mumbled and blinked her eyes open.

Big mistake. The light was like a sharp, scorching hot nail driven deeply into her skull. It made for a sharp, debilitating kind of pain that slightly dampened when she closed her eyes again.

God. Has light always been this painful?

Someone shoved something cold into her hands. A glass of water. Followed by a small, dry thing; painkillers.

“Swallow it,” Sana said. Jeongyeon hadn’t noticed she was there. Where did she come from? Who else was here? “You’ll feel better.”

“I’m not sure if you deserve to feel better,” Jihyo noted.

“Haha.” Jeongyeon followed her instructions, almost threw up but forced the painkiller down, then leaned back. Mina helped her.

Someone half closed the blinds - she could tell by the dragging sound and less light knocking against her eyelids and she tried again to open her eyes.

Still bad. Still painful. But she could endure it.

Jihyo was there, leaning against her coffee table. Mina sat to Jeongyeon’s left. Sana to her right. Chaeyoung had set up a laptop by the kitchen table, Tzuyu in the spot opposite of her. Momo had moved and stood by the door, her arms crossed, her gaze questioning. And Sana knelt in front of her and reached out for Jeongyeon’s forehead, slightly worried. Dahyun emerged from the hallway, presumably from the bedroom. They projected different amounts of worry and, in Jihyo’s case, anger.

“What happened?” Jihyo asked and before Jeongyeon could open her mouth, Jihyo added: “And don’t say _nothing_ , because something _has_ happened - and I have a vague idea what it is, but I want to hear this particular brand of stupidity from _you_.”

There was a movement that went through the room, where people looked up to meet her eyes or changed their posture or moved their weight from one foot to the other, ready to hear what had happened.

Jeongyeon licked her lips and shook her head, not sure what to say.

“I …” Her throat felt dry, as if someone had rubbed it down with sandpaper. “I … kissed Nayeon.”

There was not much of a reaction to it, and Jeongyeon looked from one to the other searching for one. Even from Tzuyu she only got a raised eyebrow. And then, Jeongyeon took a deep breath.

“I kissed her and … I sort of … ran away.”

There was still no reaction from her friends, but their gazes definitely intensified. It was Chaeyoung who first threw her hands. “I _told_ you she’s an idiot.”

It seemed enough to break the silence. Dahyun shook her head with sincere disappointment and Jihyo just facepalmed. Momo visibly deflated and Sana tried to hold on to her honey-sweet smile, but only halfway succeeded.

“Ran … away,” Mina echoed, her face stoney, then leaned in, making eye contact. She reminded Jeongyeon terribly of her first-grade teacher when Mina said: “That was a stupid thing to do, Jeongyeon eonnie.”

“It just happened!” Jeongyeon tried, desperately.

“It just happened?” Chaeyoung echoed and with a start closed her laptop. “What do you mean, it just happened! You _did_ this! We would have expected you to do anything,” she started counting on her fingers. “Making out on Nayeon’s desk in the main office.”

“Chaeyoung,” Jihyo said slowly.

Chaeyoung was not to be deterred. “Or on the conference table.”

“Chaeyoung,” Jihyo said, a bit sharper.

“Or, _I don’t know_ , in that romantic tropical getaway, where she was giving you _all sorts_ of romantic signs!”

Jeongyeon blinked slowly. “She did?”

“Of course she did!”

This time, Jihyo’s voice was an unmistakable warning. “Chaeyoung!”

Chaeyoung was about to add to the insult, when Tzuyu reached over and just touched Chaeyoung’s upper arm. Her gaze fell onto Tzuyu’s hand, then met Tzuyu’s eyes - and Chaeyoung just threw her hands again, then fell back against the chair.

Jihyo threw Chaeyoung another glance, then looked at Jeongyeon, but it was Mina who spoke first. “What happened?”

It dawned on Jeongyeon suddenly that, since they all were here, something must have happened. 

She gave a quick overview about what had happened (“Must have been quite a kiss,” Sana commented and Jeongyeon tried not to groan), before silence settled in the room.

“Where is she?” Jeongyeon asked.

Jihyo took a seat on the couch. “I was hoping - we were hoping - you’d know. She took Navely’s core and the Other Car and just vanished.” She shrugged. “The Im Tower runs on emergency services currently - the random Alexa replacement is doing its job, but it’s practically dead.”

“She took its personality core with her,” Chaeyoung said. “Means Navely is currently not any better than Alexa.” She snorted. “It’s practically an insult to my framework.”

Jeongyeon looked at her, but in her mind, she saw something else. She saw Nayeon, pushing clothing into a bag, going down into the lab, entering security code after security code at the clean room, then entering and removing Navely’s core at the Im Tech Building.

Jeongyeon saw her how she drew her hoodie over her head and took the elevator down into the garage, took the Other Car and disappeared into the night. She wondered if Nayeon had been crying. If she had been angry. If she had been disappointed.

Or all three things at once.

She thought about all these things in order to push away the fact that it was she who had caused her to run away.

Jeongyeon eyed them, then shook her head. “I have no idea where she went.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “She went away? Security-wise that’s suicide. She needs someone to protect her.”

Sana’s voice was the sweetest Jeongyeon had ever heard it. “Jeongyeon, sweetheart. You kissed her and then you ran away. Do you really think that currently, you can make a statement about her needing someone to protect her?”

Jeongyeon felt herself deflate. Sana was right, of course. What kind of bodyguard was she if she ran away at the first sight of trouble? It was exotic trouble, of course - love and affection and skinship - but it would have been her job to make sure that Nayeon wouldn’t get hurt and the first thing she did in this new situation was to hurt her.

She had to fix this, Jeongyeon knew. Had to fix her and Nayeon’s thing … that thing between them that exploded so easily into something bright and scary.

“We have to find her.”

Jihyo looked at her. “Yes, genius, we all know. That’s why we are all here, but since she hasn’t contacted you …”

Jeongyeon turned towards Chaeyoung. “Have you tried locating the Other Car?”

“The Naymobile has turned off its GPS,” Chaeyoung said. “Same goes for her cellphone. Plus she produces these things. If she doesn’t want them to be found, we won’t be able to find them.”

“I see. I see.” Jeongyeon took a deep breath and stood. “Then we have only one chance.”

Jihyo looked up at her. “And what would that be?”

“Ask Irene about her.”

“Irene?” Dahyun frowned. “How would Irene be able to help?”

“The system - the holographic system … Nayeon will be working on it, I’m sure. Irene might be able to find her with that thing,” Jeongyeon said.

Jihyo seemed impressed, despite trying not to be. “So there _is_ a brain up there?”

“I was just temporarily incapacitated, that’s all,” Jeongyeon said, with a fake easy movement of her hand.

Someone snorted. Jeongyeon thought it was Momo.

“We all know that your brain will cease to function the moment you see her again,” Tzuyu said. And off some shocked glances, Tzuyu shrugged. “What. Are you going to _argue_ that? Whenever Nayeon’s around, she turns into a stone statue, like those heads on the Easter Islands, constantly panicking. It is, frankly, embarrassing.”

“We all know, but do you have to say it like this?”

“How else should I be saying it, then?” Tzuyu asked.

“Nicer!”

“We tried nice! We lost our boss saying it nicely.” Tzuyu crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I still think it was a mistake to dismiss my idea of just locking them up in a room for six weeks. We could all have nieces and nephews by them.”

“Woah!” Jeongyeon lifted her hands and felt herself redden. “Woah. Woah, easy there. _Nieces and nephews_? When exactly did you come up with that brilliant idea to lock us up?”

Tzuyu shrugged. “Around six months into working with her.”

“ _Six months_?” Jeongyeon croaked. She cleared her throat. “Six months? You think I’ve liked her since five and a half years?”

Momo blinked at her innocently. “So even earlier?”

“Ohhhhhh.” Sana’s smile gained a thousand megawatts. “Even earlier? Was it love at first sight?”

Jeongyeon clung to her last shreds of dignity. “Let’s go to see Irene - and then get this over with.” She was about to move toward the exit, but Mina stepped into her way, and turned her around by her shoulders.

“No. Shower first. And decent clothing. Then _Irene_.”

Jeongyeon looked down at her jogging pants, her gray, ancient hoodie and her pair of different socks. One had a hole.

Mina pushed her towards the bathroom with a lifted eyebrow. “Shower first. Tzuyu and I will pick your clothing.”

And Jeongyeon let herself be pushed into the bathroom. She stripped and showered and then wiped away the steam from the mirror, before toweling herself dry.

She looked like crap, still, but she looked less like crap than before. She looked like someone who had lost something. She remembered Nayeon in her hoodie again, escaping, taking Navely with her, into the night. This time, she wasn’t able to push it fully away that it had been _her_ that caused Nayeon’s running. Because of Jeongyeon not facing what she had done to Nayeon, Nayeon had left.

She took a deep breath.

_You can’t think about it. You can’t think about it now._

Of course she thought about it.

_Okay, if you absolutely have to think about it, just don’t cry. Don’t cry._

A painful sob clawed its way up her throat. Jeongyeon’s grip around the sink tightened as she made eye contact with herself and willed herself to push it away.

_Don’t you fucking cry._

The sob threatened to escape, but then:

“Are you okay in there?” Mina called out from the outside of the bathroom.

“Fine! Just -” Her voices sounded a bit too shaky for her own ears, but generally she did a good job. Right? Right? She had thought to do a good job on her bodyguard thing as well and look how that turned out. “Just gimme a minute.”

And then she concentrated on the task at hand. Talk to Irene. Find Nayeon.

Get her back.

With her towel around her body, she hurried into her bedroom and found clothing. Matching clothing that was casual, that was something beyond her black suits and white shirts. It was dark blue jeans and a dark blue sweater that said “romantique” on it with red, round writing. One of her dark beanies and a couple of beige boots.

It was an outfit so casual it almost hurt and she felt that “romantique” was a bit too much, but neither Mina nor Tzuyu would allow her anything else.

She found herself in a van, squeezed between Momo and Dahyun, Jihyo driving and the others scattered around them. They arrived at the Im Tower around fourty minutes later and Jeongyeon had thought about every excuse in the book of how to say sorry to Irene.

The ideas for excuses intensified in the elevator that went up the building - and finally when they arrived at Irene’s lab. Only Jihyo, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu had accompanied her. Momo accompanied Mina to Japan, her own company requesting her attendance, and Sana and Dahyun still had to follow work deadlines.

So it left Jeongyeon with Chaeyoung, Jihyo and Tzuyu. They surrounded her like a wall - a tiny wall in Chaeyoung’s case - and cast her the occasional glance. Jeongyeon tried to ignore them, but it was almost impossible.

Their mixture of anger and worry hung heavy in the air and Jeongyeon knew she couldn’t do anything about it.

Instead she tried to concentrate on the task at hand.

Irene didn’t suspect anything. Nobody knew Irene was even aware of Nayeon’s disappearance. Then again, Nayeon was her girlfriend - and maybe Irene already was aware of what had transpired the other day between Jeongyeon and Nayeon.

It did nothing to improve Jeongyeon’s mental condition as she thought about how she could face Irene:

_I’m sorry I came between you and Nayeon. I’m sorry I caused you hurt. I’m sorry I have ruined everything._

_I’m sorry … I’m sorry I want her for myself. I won’t give her up. If she takes me back, I will never give her up. She’s mine._

Irene Bae - Bae Joohyun - was clad in a white lab coat, her hair a messy bun on the back of her head, thin glasses on her head, surrounded by engineers and technicians, as they all swarmed a holo projector in the middle of the room.

Jeongyeon, without the idea ever threatening Nayeon’s position as the most beautiful person on the planet, had no trouble admitting that Irene Bae was fantastically attractive, even dressed like this. When she noticed Jihyo, she smiled brightly and excused herself from the technician next to her.

She came over, still tiny even in her moderate heels, and bowed happily at Jihyo. For some reason Jeongyeon couldn’t place, her smile widened when she saw Jeongyeon and bowed as well.

“Hello, eonnie,” Jihyo said, half a smile on her face, her expression stern. “We need your help - and a favor.”

“A favor?” Irene’s smile dimmed somewhat in confusion, as she looked from one to the other. She motioned towards a door by the far end of the room. “Of course. Let’s discuss this in my office, maybe?”

“That’s an excellent idea,” Jihyo said.

Jeongyeon felt cold sweat on the back of her neck by then as Chaeyoung and Tzuyu helped propel her stiff body forward.

Irene’s office was bright and tidy, similar to a living room that included a desk. She made them sit on the couch by the windows and served them water and a coke for Chaeyoung. “How can I help you?”

“I’m not sure you noticed,” Jihyo started. “But we kind of lost our boss.”

Irene sat down on the armchair in front of them. She frowned as she set the bottle of coke in front of Chaeyoung. “I haven’t seen Nayeon for a while, this is true, but are you sure she is lost?”

“All communication ceased with her,” Jihyo said. “We haven’t seen her since the tech demo and she isn’t answering any of our calls. I realize she’s not as often down here, but usually we see her every day. Every second day if not every day. But currently -”

“She dropped off the map,” Chaeyoung said. “Digital maps, treasure maps, any map. She’s not responding to any of our calls and we don’t know where she is. Also she took Navely with her and the random Alexa replacement is driving me nuts.”

“It is, truly, worrisome,” Tzuyu said slowly and earnestly.

Jeongyeon didn’t say anything, just steeped in her own feelings of doubt and guilt. Towards Irene. Towards Nayeon. A bit towards herself.

Bae Joohyun took a deep breath and nodded slowly, contemplating the situation. Her worry was genuine. “I see. Well - maybe we can -”

“I’m sorry!” Jeongyeon blurted out.

Jihyo, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu looked up.

Irene’s frown deepened. “What are you sorry for?”

“I - I wasn’t the nicest to you, when you both were - were together and … I didn’t mean to sabotage anything, I just didn’t know how to handle it. And she’s gone because of me, you know and -”

“Hold on, hold on.” Joohyun smiled, but her ears had turned red. She held up a hand to stop Jeongyeon’s rambling. “When we were together? Jeongyeon-sshi. We were never together.”

Jeongyeon didn’t register the words first. Then she did and it did nothing to improve upon the chaos in her head. “You - you were not?”

“No! Plus, I already knew she liked you.”

“What?” This was getting worse by the second.

“I also knew you liked her back,” Joohyun said, her smile suddenly a bit teasing.

Jeongyeon wanted to faint. Or self-combust. Whatever was faster. “You did?!” She turned to Jihyo, helpless, desperate and panicking. “But I was so _inconspicuous_!”

Her, Tzuyu and Chaeyoung shook their heads immediately.

“Sweetie,” Jihyo said. She patted Jeongyeon’s shoulder. “You really weren’t.”

Jeongyeon leaned back against the couch and dragged the pads of her fingers over her face. Her world was crumbling. “This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me.”

“No, it’s not!” Chaeyoung blurted out. “Oh my god. How can you be so _bad_ at this?!”

“The question is more why Nayeon knows all this and still likes her,” Tzuyu said darkly.

“Alright, you two.” Jihyo cast them a warning glance, then directed her attention at Joohyun, who just smiled softly. She seemed thoroughly amused. “I apologize. It’s been - a chaotic few days, to say the least.” Jihyo took a deep breath. “So. How can we contact her? Do you have any idea?”

Irene tilted her head and frowned again. “Not directly, but - I have an idea. She is still reviewing our bug reports. I could - manufacture a harmless bug in the system. The process requires that I then write a bug report for her. Instead of me writing a bug reported, Jeongyeon here could write a message instead.”

Chaeyoung snapped her fingers. “This is brilliant. We could follow the report through the system -”

Irene shook her head. “No. You can’t locate her like this. She turned everything off. The entire thing is completely text based. Anything more complicated will be filtered by the system.”

“Ah, drat.”

“Chaeyoung,” Jihyo admonished her. Then she looked at Jeongyeon. “Means you have to be convincing in your grovelling.”

“I don’t grovel,” Jeongyeon said and the first part of her sentence carried quite some conviction that quickly melted under Jihyo’s steely glance.

JIhyo lifted her eyebrows. “Whatever you do or don’t do, I want you to fix this. And if it takes groveling -” She made a wide, inviting gesture.

Jeongyeon opened her mouth for one weak attempt at complaining, but it took only a second sharp glance from Jihyo’s side to shut her down. Instead, she nodded mutely.

Irene smiled and stood. “Jeongyeon-sshi. You can use my computer if you want. I’ll help you log in. And maybe you, Chaeyoung-sshi, can help the team to come up with a problem? It has to be a bit chaotic and unexpected and something she really wants to figure out.”

“Hah. No problem.” Chaeyoung said. She cracked her knuckles. “I have a brilliant idea.”

Tzuyu and Jihyo looked at her, slightly worried.

“I think we’ll go with her to … supervise this,” Jihyo said. “Let us know when you are done, Jeongyeon.”

Jeongyeon nodded and watched them leave. Each passed her and each threw her an expression of various degrees of _Don’t mess this up_.

Jihyo was the last to leave and her expression was the most intensive: Worry and annoyance directed at Jeongyeon and something kinder and softer directed at Irene. Then they were gone.

Jeongyeon and Irene were left behind.

Irene seemed completely unbothered and pulled back the seat of her desk, motioning for her to sit down in front of her laptop. “Come on, sit.”

Jeongyeon followed her, slightly weak. “Bae Joohyun-sshi. I’m - I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean for all of this to happen and -”

Irene shook her head and pointed insistently for Jeongyeon to sit down. She leaned over her and typed in her password, then opened a word processor for Jeongyeon to write in for her. Her perfume smelled incredible, even though not quite as sweet as Nayeon’s. “None of this is your fault. Sometimes life is just messy and chaotic.” She shrugged. “Also - and I want you to know that I’m saying this with the utmost respect - you aren’t exactly good when it comes to reading a room.”

Jeongyeon snorted, self-deprecation firing on all cannons. “You think?”

“Yes. I’ll help you. Under two conditions.”

“Conditions?” Jeongyeon felt something close up inside her. Some suspicion rose. “What kind of conditions?”

“That you listen to a truly unprofessional secret of mine and … something else,” Irene said.

“Something else? What’s the something else?”

“Let’s start with the unprofessional secret. It’s the better order of things,” Irene said, lightly. Her ears had turned red again. “It’s - as much as I like Nayeon and admire her for all her capabilities, she’s not my type. I’m someone that’s very quiet and often hard to read and sometimes people think I don’t like them or that I’m some sort of ice queen. I think it’s better for me to like someone who is a bit more gentle and quiet. Please don’t misunderstand, Jeongyeon-sshi, but I think between the two of you, I think you would have been my type, not Nayeon-sshi, despite her abundance of admirable qualities.”

Jeongyeon stared at her, floored. “ _What?_ ”

Irene Bae shrugged, her face completely red, her expression as composed as always. She played somewhat shyly with the sleeve of her lab coat.

“It turns out,” she continued. “That my type -,” she shook her head, not believing herself. “That I like dorks.”

Jeongyeon looked at her, and slowly, very slowly, a puzzle piece moved to where it belonged. She opened her mouth and closed it again, then opened it again. Stared at Irene, who willed her to understand, her expression neutral and at the same time not. Then she leaned a bit forward to Irene, who was standing next to her, towering her for once. “You like _Seulgi_ .” And again: “You like Kang - you like my _friend_ , Kang Seulgi!”

Irene smoothed down a non-existent wrinkle in her lab coat. “Maybe there’s hope for you after all.” Then looked up, with one raised eyebrow. “Which brings me to my second condition: Do you have, by any chance, Seulgi’s number?”

Jeongyeon stared. “Oh my God - I mean. Of course! Of course! I mean.” She thought of something, then picked up the block of post-its on Irene’s desk and wrote something on it, before handing it to Irene. “This is something better. It’s the invite for our Discord server. You'll catch her there, guaranteed.” She paused. “Maybe you want to ignore any conversations about computer games, edible underwear and Sooyoung ranting how cute Jiwoo is.”

Irene gingerly picked up the piece of paper. “Thank you so much, Jeongyeon-sshi.”

“No. Thank you. Really. Thank you.”

Irene smiled. “Anytime. I’ll leave you to it and see that Chaeyoung doesn’t ruin our multi-billion won project, alright? Just save it on my desktop. I won’t take a peek.”

She half-bowed and left.

Jeongyeon was left behind with a blank page. She looked at it then, after around five minutes of panicking, she started to write.

It had to be something brave and unexpected and something true, honest and sincere. Something that would show Nayeon that Jeongyeon meant business when it came to their friendship - and everything beyond that.

She looked at it then, after around five minutes of panicking, she started to write.

_Dear Nayeon,_

_I’m quitting my job as your bodyguard._

_Let me apologize to you in person as just me. Everything sucks when you are not here._

_Yours, with all my heart,_ _  
__Yoo Jeongyeon._

She went through it once more, then nodded, saved it and went home.

It was _almost_ everything she wanted to tell her.

*

Nayeon didn’t answer for three days after Irene had sent the letter as a bug report. The evening of the second day Jeongyeon started to wonder if Nayeon had even received the letter and if she had, had she read it and if she had read it, had she found it in her heart to reply or was she too angry?

In the night approaching the third day, her cellphone rang, which was unusual. She had set it on silent mode, had no alarms activated until morning and generally kept it in flight mode at night.

She sat up in bed, confused and sleepy and blindly reached for the vibrating thing on her nightstand. When she turned it on, Jeongvely’s grumpy face appeared.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” Jeongyeon asked, somewhat groggily.

Jeongvely, whose grumpy routines worked way too well, harrumphed. “Someone is waiting.”

This was enough for Jeongyeon to snap to full consciousness in the darkness of the room. “Waiting? Where?”

Something strange happened to her cellphone. Jeongvely looked at her, with way too much conscience for a mere computer and - winked. Then it disappeared. Literally. From her cellphone. The screen went black and her phone started rebooting by itself.

“What on Earth …?” Jeongyeon wondered, and tried to get to the reboot menu. Her phone wouldn’t let her.

Instead a single world appeared on it’s black screen. 

_Soon._

The words were written in a blue color that looked vaguely familiar.

Jeongyeon stared at it, then in an attempt to get up almost fell out of the bed. She untangled herself from her bedsheets and stepped out into the small corridor to the living room. A faint light was coming from it and she half expected Jihyo, Sana, Momo and the others to break into her apartment again.

Instead, as she padded forward in the darkness, all the screens of her digital devices had turned themselves on: Her TV, the tablet laying on her coffee table, the screen of her Im Technologies Fridge and the home automation screen by the door.

They all showed a black screen and writing, in the same blue-ish color of the letters on her phone. She tried to turn on the light, but nothing happened. Someone had hacked into her home network. And she immediately knew who it was.

The TV and all the other devices, even her fridge, showed exactly the same writing:

 _Jeongyeon._ _  
__Go outside._

She narrowed her eyes at the TV and tried to turn it off with the remote. It didn’t want to.

“Nayeon, seriously, what the hell.” She hurried to the window and peeked out. There was the parking lot with all the cars and the trees and the nicely tended grass stripes in between the parking spots.

There was the sound of a car and then she watched as the _Other Car_ drove from somewhere beyond the parking lot way too fast. It stepped on the brakes way too harshly, slid to the side and came to stop perfectly on an empty parking spot right in front of Jeongyeon’s house.

It was a completely unnecessary demonstration of its capabilities and it also resulted in screeching tires that would probably wake up the entire neighbourhood at - Jeongyeon looked at the clock on the way, mercilessly analogue, so nobody could hack it - 1:24 in the night.

Jeongyeon hurried back into her room and packed up stuff in a backpack. Then, just because of a hunch, chose jeans and a bright blue shirt and a warm, orange sweater for herself - and just because, threw a rain jacket on. Then she slipped into sturdy boots and picked up a cap by the coat hanger.

Then she tried turning on the light again. Nothing happened.

“Nayeon,” she said to the TV.

The TV still proudly displayed: _Jeongyeon. Go outside._

“I know you can hear me. I’ll take your ride to hell out there, but first return my apartment to normal.” She pointed at the fridge. “I want to return to non-spoiled avocado when I return.”

 _Jeongyeon. Go outside._ The TV stubbornly showed.

“Nayeon. It’s wasteful. And also, really creepy.”

When the TV didn’t change, for a moment Jeongyeon doubted herself. What if it wasn’t Nayeon? What if it was some kind of joke? Or a prank? Or another stalker?

“Nayeon,” Jeongyeon said one last time. The warning tone in her voice wasn’t entirely convincing.

She was about to give up, but then:

The TV flickered. All the screens in the apartment flickered. And they changed to a tiny emoji in the middle of a black background.

Everything went dark for a second. And then bright with a start, as all the lights in the living room turned themselves on. The screens returned to normal. The TV went into booting mode and showed the Im Technologies logo:

_Im Technologies. We make life brighter._

Before powering up its integrated smartTV menu.

“Thank you,” Jeongyeon told the room.

There was no response this time.

She closed the front of her jacket, turned off the TV, and the light after she had reached the door, then took the stairs down. The Other Car was patiently waiting, its lights flickering on and off and on again as a greeting, when Jeongyeon got inside.

Navely wasn’t there to greet her inside, but the color schematic was Navely blue, and Jeongyeon knew the AI assistant was close, somewhere.

When she had put on her seatbelt, the car started the engine by itself. The lights reared up, before dimming down to something that was comfortable to the eyes in the darkness of the night. Then the Other Car with its passenger moved from Jeongyeon’s parking lot by itself.

It drove into the dark of the night and just moved on. Moved forward, without any kind of sound. Jeongyeon’s phone still said:

_Soon._

And didn’t show any kind of reaction when Jeongyeon tried to get to a menu somehow to maybe check her mails or maps or play a game. After around an hour of driving and watching the steering wheel move by itself, Jeongyeon climbed onto the backseat of the car and made herself comfortable.

“Just wake me when we are there, okay?”

There was no reaction and Jeongyeon didn’t expect any. She tried to find a comfortable position and stretched out, looking up at the part of the car’s roof that had been replaced by glass. The stars shimmered in the darkness and quick schemes of trees flicked by. It was a comforting view to fall asleep to. The sound of the car provided a constant, steady hum in a deep frequency and Jeongyeon felt safe in something Nayeon had made herself and surrounded her with.

She was wrapped in the essence that was Nayeon, and even though they didn’t talk currently, she felt herself comforted by it. The trust she had for the older woman was still completely intact.

It was the thought that pulled her to sleep until the early hours of the morning. Sleep was deep, but way too short.

When she woke up at four o’something in the morning, nothing of the calmness had remained. Instead, outside, there was absolute darkness and the wind clawed and tugged at the car, with heavy rain pouring from the sky as if someone had turned on a shower in a hurricane.

The windscreen showed absolute darkness. The car didn’t move anymore. Jeongyeon climbed onto the front seat.

“What happened?” Jeongyeon had to speak loudly, because the sounds of mother nature just raging on in a storm threatened to drown out every sound.

The engine sprung to life and the car tried to move. It rutted desperately against the ground, but the tires couldn’t grasp on to anything. It tried again and again, each try more desperate and the usually so calm electrical engine howled in high-pitched frustration.

“We are stuck,” Jeongyeon realized. “We are stuck. Ah, fuck. How far to … to wherever we were going?”

The headlights sprung to life, and coated what was in front of the car with light: It was a wide field with golden crops that waved like an angry ocean in the raging storm. They went on far, far, far until the light of the _Other Car_ fizzled out in the darkness.

The windshield of the car changed and a computerized overlay - the internal navigation system - came to life. It outlined the field and the horizon in the distance with a bright, blue line, a long dotted arrow appearing, pointing at the destination. The light of the car did not reach as far, but the outlines of the nav system followed a small village in the distance, forming its shape on the windshield somewhere by the horizon, calculating a direct path through the field to it.

“Distance,” Jeongyeon read the numbers next to the destination. “Two point three kilometres.” She shrugged. “I can walk.”

Immediately the doors of the car made a sound, indicating that they had locked up.

“Yah!” Jeongyeon tugged at the door. It wouldn’t budge. “Come on, it’s only two point three kilometres. I can walk that!”

No reaction.

“I know it’s crazy weather outside, but do you expect me to stay inside the car all night? We are stuck and someone also needs to free the vehicle. I have good shoes and it’s really not far! Just straight at the other end of the field. Right?”

No reaction.

“Come on. You can’t keep me in here. Just let me walk,” Jeongyeon said. “Please.”

Outside the wind howled angrily.

“Nayeon. Seriously. You can’t keep me as your prisoner, you can’t -”

Something heavy landed with a start on the hood of the car. It had glowing, blue eyes that directed themselves straight at the car’s passenger.

Jeongyeon let out a string of obscenities as she flinched away. “What the hell? What on Earth?”

They were cat eyes - blue and bright and electric. The black pupil was a perfect circle, but when it focused on Jeongyeon, it narrowed itself to a slit. Jeongyeon couldn’t exactly see what the thing was - a cat, most probably? - but whatever it was, it remained unbothered by the crazy weather and it paced back and forth on the hood of the car, while staring at Jeongyeon.

For a moment, Jeongyeon wondered if it was safe to go outside - not because of the weather, but because of that _thing_. But then there was a sharp clicking sound in the door and Jeongyeon was quick to grasp her backpack and go out.

It turned out that there wasn’t exactly a lot of rain, but the bit that drizzled down seemed to wrap itself around Jeongyeon, the wind wielding it like a weapon. It splashed into Jeongyeon’s face the moment she looked up.

The creature with the blue eyes looked up at her. _Was it an enormous mouse?_

It disappeared in the cornfield in front of Jeongyeon, its light shimmering here and there between the ears of the wheatfield.

“Wait up!” Jeongyeon called out against the wind. She put up her collar and readjusted the backpack, then stepped forward. The ground was soft and muddy and she knew she was going to look like a swamp monster by the end of this trek.

The creature hurried forward and Jeongyeon followed her into the field. She looked back - the _Other Car_ consisted of nothing more than two bright lights in the darkness. She gave it a wave for some reason, then started to move forward.

The wheat ears reached up to her upper arms as she followed the blue eyes looking back at her occasionally through the darkness. The ground turned muddy and slippery, and after some time passed, she lost all feeling about how long she had been walking, where she was and what direction she was going.

There was only darkness and the light of the car growing smaller and smaller in the distance, until it disappeared completely. Only the wind and the rain were left - and a small, blue blink of light occasionally peeking through the night.

She fell twice, her hands and a bit of her face suddenly covered by the wet earth and the blue-eyed creature was creeping around her until she got up, then they continued through the night.

If this entire thing was not about Nayeon, she would be a fool. A fool in love, but a fool nonetheless. If Nayeon would just lead her towards the next train station or towards a taxi stand, her opinion on their relationship would be clear. Nayeon wouldn’t want to have one.

Her feet sunk deep into the mud, covering her ankles by now up to her shins. It clung to her feet and made every step heavier. The rain had crept into her collar, into her warm clothing, making it clammy and cold.

Countless hours, she followed the creature through the wheat and then, suddenly, she stepped on grass.

It was just there. She took a step and then another and the field ended. There were houses and a street and street lamps. It still rained slightly, but the harsh winds were gone.

As was the creature.

She looked right and then left. The street was dark. There was not a single soul around.

“What now?” she called into the darkness.

One street lamp, the second streetlamp on the right, flicked on its light.

Jeongyeon looked at it and stepped towards its direction. When she reached it, it went dark, but down the road, the next one caught light. She followed the street lamps through the night, one flicking itself on and then fading away again, after she had reached it.

“Nayeon,” she shook her head in silent admiration and disbelief, as she followed the light down the road, past a silent, sleeping neighborhood, until no more street lamps were left.

The last one was positioned at a road leading towards a wooden, roofed gate, built right at the edge of the darkness of the night. The gate was part of a wall with carefully tended tiles topping them. Beyond it, Jeongyeon could see the faint shadow of a traditional Korean house, a _hanok_.

She stepped closer, away from the lamp and made her way towards the main gate with it’s curved, tiled roof.

The lamp behind her stayed on.

The night started to envelope her the closer she got to the entrance and when she reached it, the street lamp behind her was just a dim, golden halo.

She looked back and then at the walled _hanok_ once more and - what she saw scared the living daylights out of her.

Before, the top of the wall had been empty, but now dozens of creatures, of different shapes and forms and body shapes sat on the tiles, on the gate, in the tree peeking over the wall and on the ground in front of the main gate. All their eyes glowed in an unnatural blue. One of them, silver with black paws, left the large group and stalked towards Jeongyeon, its tail up.

The others waited, unmoving and guarding.

Jeongyeon watched the creature march towards her and it was close enough to look at it, she realized what it was. She leaned down and picked it up, her hands touching cool material.

It wriggled like a cat would.

It was a cat, definitely, but it was not alive.

To call it a robot didn’t seem right either, because the cat’s body was sleek and perfectly shaped, the pieces of the casing disappearing under each other; too perfect and too kinetic to be something stiff like a robot. If an Italian designer decided to design an artificial being that looked and felt and behaved like a cat, this was it.

The cat started to purr, a golden sound, and it nosed against Jeongyeon’s chin. Then it made eye contact -

\-- and winked at her.

Jeongyeon suddenly realized what the cat was. What all those cats were, looking down from the wall and the gate and the tree at her with electric blue eyes.

They were …

“Navely,” she whispered.

The purring intensified as the other cats, some copper, some golden, some a shiny blue or a dull, green metallic, moved down from their vantage points, softly meowing and rubbing against Jeongyeon’s legs, herding her inside, as the main gate swung open to make way for the _hanok’s_ inner court.

There was a singular cherry tree in the middle of the court, surrounded by grass just by a small pond with a red bench. The court was surrounded by the residential building, but Nayeon had made some changes.

It was an old building, originally, Jeongyeon could tell, but it had been completely renovated: With modern windows, a modern open kitchen, a living room viewing the court’s garden and a sitting area on the veranda under a roof with a barbeque grill.

Jeongyeon moved in further into the court and the cats around her dispersed. Only the first silver one with the black paws stayed with her, calm in her arms.

She looked around: small, electric torches made for just enough light to see her surroundings. The place looked almost magical, Jeongyeon thought, and then there was a soft sound, like a feather gliding over a pillow.

“So you really managed to come here.”

Jeongyeon turned, the Navely Cat still in her arms.

There, by the door, she was - clad in a lavender-colored robe, just thrown over white and blue striped pajamas and bunny shoes covered her feet. She looked sleepy and her hair a mess, but her eyes were clear.

“And I see you have met the security system,” Nayeon continued, casting an eye at Navely.

The electronic cat stretched in Jeongyeon’s arms, unimpressed.

“Nayeon -” Jeongyeon started, looking up from the garden at her, but Nayeon turned on her heel.

“You look drenched and I have wooden floors. You should first get yourself a towel and dry yourself up,” she said, her back already turned to Jeongyeon. She disappeared for a moment inside the house, then returned with a big, fluffy towel, throwing it at her.

Jeongyeon caught it with one hand, the other one holding Navely close to her body. She still looked up at Nayeon, standing slightly elevated at the veranda of the house in the open glass doorway.

Jeongyeon noticed that she looked anywhere but her eyes.

“And get a shower,” Nayeon added, looking at the tree behind her.

“And then?”

It was a stupid question, Jeongyeon realized immediately.

“And then what?” Nayeon asked, her voice suddenly sharp. Her gaze met Jeongyeon’s, even though only for a moment - but it was enough.

There were no tears, but Jeongyeon could tell that they were lurking only a hair’s width under the surface. Along with other things, like anger and fear and insecurity, something Nayeon rarely displayed, and deeper, nicer feelings that she didn’t dare to name.

“Are you going to run again?” Nayeon asked. She looked at Jeongyeon for a heavy moment, then couldn’t bear it and looked away again. “I didn’t want you here, you know? I ran as far as I could because I didn’t want you here.”

“But you sent the Other Car to get me. You read my letter. You let Navely lead me here -”

“And don’t make me regret it!” Nayeon snapped, shaving off the last bit of Jeongyeon’s sentence. She then took a deep breath and the anger sunk back under the surface, leaving behind a neutral facade.

Jeongyeon disliked that strange blankness more than any anger Nayeon might have thrown at her. “Nayeon -”

“You look like someone dragged you through the mud,” Nayeon said. She crossed her arms. “I won’t let you in like this.”

Jeongyeon blinked. “I can stay?”

“I don’t have much of a choice, do I?,” Nayeon said quickly. “Only for the night.” She eyed Jeongyeon up and down and shook her head. “Those pants won’t make it inside.”

“I’m only wearing underwear underneath!”

Nayeon huffed. “I have seen you naked plenty of times.”

This was true, but - Jeongyeon fought for words. “But not since we - since you -”

Nayeon raised an eyebrow at her. “Since we what?”

Jeongyeon opened and closed her mouth, but it seemed like Nayeon had lost all patience with her.

“I won’t look, but you will remove them and we will wait until they have dried and can probably stand by themselves. I won’t touch them with a stick.”

“Do you want me to strip here?” Jeongyeon motioned towards her surroundings. “Outside? By myself?”

“Who's going to see you?” She turned around and showed Jeongyeon her back. A dismissive wave was thrown over her shoulder. “Come on. Hurry up. I'll lend you some of my sweatpants.”

Jeongyeon, for once, was grateful to like oversized clothing; it would cover everything necessary.

She sat on the edge of the veranda and had to remove mud first to find her laces, then loosened them and sat them down on the grass. Her socks still had their original color, but her pants were brown up to her knee. She tried not to soil anything - and rolled her eyes when Nayeon started tapping with her foot on the hardwood.

She sat them on the veranda as well and when she climbed up to follow Nayeon inside, she felt at least five pounds lighter.

“You can have the guestroom,” Nayeon said, not turning around. One of the Navely cats was suddenly by her feet, accompanying her into the house.

The absence of her playfulness confused Jeongyeon - and worried her all the same. Nayeon always tried to make her smile; humored her; had a kind of gentle teasing with her. Now, she treated her like a stranger. It made Jeongyeon feel unwelcome and like she had lost a friend - and more than that.

The feeling burned deep, an uncomfortable acid biting small holes in her soul, sinking deeper and deeper towards her heart.

The mansion had dark, wooden walls, with old ink painting adorning the wall, and yet they passed a living room with a huge eighty-two inch flatscreen TV and modern, leather couches and armchairs. Nayeon led her further into the house into a small corridor. The right side was panelled glass windows with a view into the garden, the other side a wall made from wood with a door.

Nayeon motioned towards it and then cast her a short, singular glance. “Good night,” she said and turned around.

“Nayeon -”

“Good night,” Nayeon said, sharper this time, then almost fled the vicinity.

The cat by her feet turned around once to look at Jeongyeon, then left, following its mistress.

Jeongyeon stood there, then opened the door and stepped inside. It was a nice room with a modern bed, a small adjoining bathroom and large windows that reached up to the ceiling. The curtains were drawn closed and when Jeongyeon took a peek outside, she saw fields and the forest in the distance.

She stripped out of her shirt and slipped into the bed in her underwear. Softness and warmth.

A part of her wanted to run away again. A bigger one pummeled it into submission.

With a sigh, she turned to her side. The white curtains gleamed slightly in the moonlight, as she stared at the little bit she could see of the serene landscape outside. Uneasy and relieved that she had met Nayeon again, her eyes drifted shut and finally, finally, she fell asleep.

*

She woke early the next morning - to prepare breakfast as the first offering of peace and maybe to talk. Dressed in sweatpants and her own shirt, she made her way only to find Nayeon already sitting at the kitchen island, a cup of coffee in her hand, reading something on a tablet.

When she noticed Jeongyeon, she lifted a questioning eyebrow.

Jeongyeon stopped in the doorway, sheepishly and a bit disappointed. Her plans of a grand gesture all flew out of the window. No breakfast. Nayeon had been faster. Jeongyeon had to come up with another brilliant plan.

“Good morning,” Jeongyeon said, her voice still unused in the light of a new day, as she moved towards the breakfast table.

“Morning.” Nayeon cast her a glance, then directed her attention once more at her tablet, reading the newspaper.

Nayeon had set a variety of side dishes on the table, along with grilled short ribs and eggs. There was kimchi and a hint of Western food with pancakes, syrup and bacon. Jeongyeon sat down and was about to reach for the short ribs, when Nayeon spoke.

“When do you plan on leaving today?” She didn’t look up, her voice trained to sound as unassuming as possible.

Jeongyeon looked up in surprise, her hand frozen on its way to get the kimchi and watched Nayeon’s side profile. The nose, the lips set in a tense way. And there it was, just for a moment, the faintest twitch around her eyes, trained on whatever she was reading. Jeongyeon would have _almost_ believed her.

Almost.

But she knew her too well, had watched her too often to fall for Nayeon’s facade. And, on top of that, Jeongyeon knew - or at least suspected - what Nayeon wanted. Someone who wouldn’t want to run away.

“I’m not going to leave,” Jeongyeon said.

Nayeon looked up, a faint smirk around her lips. She had been expecting this - this answer. “This is sort of my house. My home. I can kick you out whenever I want.”

“You _brought_ me here,” Jeongyeon said. “You hijacked my apartment -”

“That was an accident.”

“Sent me that emoji -”

“A bug in the system.”

“After reading my letter -”

“What letter?”

“And sending me the Other Car.”

Nayeon looked down at her fingernails. “I’m sure that was an accident. Old Navely navigation files or something Chaeng messed up.”

“We both know Chaeyoung doesn’t mess up, Nayeon,” Jeongyeon said.

Nayeon took a deep breath and finally looked up. Her eyes wandered over Jeongyeon’s face and then, as if not able to believe herself or not able to believe Jeongyeon, she shook her head. “I don’t want you here.” She got up. “This was a mistake.”

Jeongyeon immediately rose to her feet. “Nayeon -”

“No.” When she noticed that Jeongyeon was following her, she immediately rounded the kitchen island, bringing space between them. “No, no, no. I - “ She took a deep breath and then truly met Jeongyeon’s eyes head on. “Did you know that it broke me a little when you left that day? I thought - I thought you had finally gotten it and then you ran away! You even _looked back_ and _still_ ran away!”

“Nayeon -”

“I felt like I aged a little when you just went away - and God, Jeong, you are so slow!”

Jeongyeon didn’t know what to say. “I’m so sorry -”

“I made advances on you for years -”

(Jeongyeon blinked slowly at this, as she carefully rounded the kitchen island. Nayeon backed away.)

“- and you always ignored them, never reacted, and I thought - I thought - when we kissed, you finally - you finally -” She didn’t - couldn’t - finish that thought and just broke halfway towards the finish line of that sentence, her eyes wet, her lips a thin line.

Jeongyeon felt her heart slowly break at the sight and the desire to make it better, to fix this, started to gain more and more traction. She started to move towards the other woman, and a strange kind of hunt began.

Jeongyeon rounded the kitchen island and Nayeon backed away, towards the dining table.

She was completely out of it. “No,” she shook her head, her cheeks wet, as she moved a chair between Jeongyeon, who continued to follow. “Stay away. Please - stay - stay -”

“Let me fix this,” Jeongyeon said, for once in her life relentless. “Please - I made a mistake, Nayeon. I’m going to fix this -”

Nayeon moved backwards. She hit the armchair of the small seating area and her hands moved back to hold on to the backrest to ground herself for a moment, before moving around it backwards, bringing it between her and Jeongyeon. “It was so hard when you left me like that -”

“I know.” Jeongyeon easily grasped the soft fabric and moved it aside. “I won’t run away -”

“You say that _now_ -” Nayeon had backed herself against the wall by the large windows.

“- and I’ll make sure you never, ever, ever feel this way again.” Jeongyeon stepped closer, and when she did, Nayeon lifted her hands, ready to push her away. Jeongyeon stopped her approach, just out of reach.

Nayeon was ready to push her away, her hands resting flatly under Jeongyeon’s clavicle. “You are a coward.”

Jeongyeon took a deep, shaky breath, fists forming by her side. “I know.”

Nayeon’s hands formed claws around the fabric of Jeongyeon’s shirt and there was just the faintest of tugs. Her voice was so small that it felt like searing pain pulling at Jeongyeon’s watery insides. “I thought you didn’t like me back -”

“Nayeon -”

“- like that.”

“I know.”

“But Jeong.” She pulled at Jeongyeon’s sweater once more. “You do. Don’t you?”

Jeongyeon dared to step closer, into Nayeon’s personal bubble and Nayeon didn’t push her away. “I - I do.”

Nayeon exhaled, hotly, angrily, and a bit of her grandeur returned to her, being on the safe ground of Jeongyeon’s admission. “I can’t believe you.” She sounded exasperated. “So if I would have asked you, directly, just like this, you would have admitted it?”

Jeongyeon huffed. “Of course not! I would have denied it! You should know me well enough for that by now.”

Nayeon threw one hand, the other still attached to Jeongyeon’s sweater. “But why on Earth -”

“You terrify me, Nayeon. Everything about you. You are so incredibly clever and charming and funny and you do these amazing things and you had like thirty-six incredibly hot and occasionally just as clever girlfriends and I’m barely able to be your bodyguard!” She exhaled once more and tried to run away from the cascading failure of all of her nerve endings, when something soft brushed against her lips and she realized - in terror and complete and pure elation! - that it was Nayeon’s lips.

Her heart plummeted deep into the wild oceans composed of feelings so intense, she wanted to drown in them and as a result just fell forward against the smaller woman, her legs turning all wobbly. Her heart rate spiked in a way that was, for sure, unhealthy, and her hands started to feel clammy.

She tried to anchor herself, brushing her nose against Nayeon’s and - it just made things worse. The contact ran like a current down her body, rolling under her skin and she realized, if this was to continue, she had to sit down.

Yet, bravely, she marched on. Her voice turned weak, delicate and frail. “You are loud, obnoxious, hard-working, charming, friendly and out-of-control, and the world’s greatest genius billionaire philanthropist womanizer, while I’m just - I’m just your long-suffering, desperate bodyguard. Nayeon.” She shook her head. “How … how ... “ She paused once more, meeting Nayeon’s gaze, so incredibly close that she could make out her lashes, and her perfect eyebrows and the warm brown of her eyes. She just went for the statement:

“How.”

“We’ll see,” Nayeon said lightly.

There was a short pause where they just regarded each other.

“Are you going to make me sleep in the car?” Jeongyeon asked after a moment.

“You mean, if I _let_ you sleep in my car?” Nayeon asked. She slipped past Jeongyeon and created a little bit of distance between them. “There’s a small hotel in the village. I hear their bibimbap is very good.”

Jeongyeon met her glance, unsure if she meant it. Nayeon lifted an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

She meant it. “I see. Then - I’ll spend the night there. I’m still not going to leave though.”

Nayeon eyed her again, then turned on her heel and marched down the corridor with a kind of self-assuredness she hadn’t possessed earlier. “You are an idiot, Jeongyeon-ah. Just get your luggage in here.” She looked back at Jeongyeon, before disappearing. “Then we’ll see how you do.”

Jeongyeon was left behind in the kitchen and after a moment of silence, she exchanged a glance with a Navely cat sitting by the kitchen island. “Do you think she still likes me?”

The Navely cat produced a strange kind of huffing sound, before stalking away. After a moment of silence, Jeongyeon pumped her fist.

This was her first victory. This was good. This was Nayeon giving her a chance, no? She would not waste it. She would make sure it would all work out well. For a moment, she was ready to throw herself into one of the armchairs by the windows.

Should she call Jihyo? Should she inform her that she was alright, that Nayeon was alright? Jihyo needed to know - it was important that Jihyo needed to know. She was probably worried, as were the others.

And the Other Car - it was still stuck at the other end of the field.

Then her eyes fell on the chaos that was the kitchen - and then there was Nayeon. A whirlwind in every room, leaving behind chaos and remnants of things her mind had created, never bothering to put anything back where it belonged. She didn’t care for mere chaos, but for the absence of hygiene it often left behind.

Nayeon had made her breakfast - the additional plate unmistakable; she ate in silence and then tidied everything up that was within her reach. Afterwards she wrote a small piece of paper for Nayeon to indicate where she was going and left the house.

One of the Navely cats, a silver, tiny thing with eyes made of freshly forged thunder, followed her into the village.

It was small and traditional, she found, with some small shops in the middle, absent of all big companies and chains. The villagers greeted her happily and as Jeongyeon made her way to see where she had left the Other Car last night, she realized a few strange things.

There was no cable chaos of electric lines over the houses; they were all hidden in the ground, something quite rare for a place that was far away from a larger city. The streetlamps that lined the narrow streets were powered by LEDs, not those weak, old, flickering lamps of olden days. She saw drones drawing over the village - she could see their metal gleaming in the afternoon sun, but each looked like a fish. She tried not to stare as a man on a hovering moped, a box with takeout ramen on the back of it.

The strawberries she picked up at the small market were transparent with a heart of red and tasted the sweetest she ever had.

“Are you a guest of Im Nayeon’s?” the woman who sold them asked.

Jeongyeon nodded. “Yes, ahjumma. How do you know?”

The ahjumma laughed and nodded towards the robotic Navely. “You brought one of her pets.”

“Oh. Yes - I’m staying for a few days and keeping her company,” Jeongyeon said.

“I see. We barely see her these days,” the ahjumma said. “I hope she’s eating enough. Why don’t you leave her some strawberries?”

Jeongyeon nodded her affirmative and bowed, giving a small wave before leaving.

She followed the main road out of the village, until it twirled and disappeared in the golden fields surrounding it. Long lines reached out of the fields, going up, up to the sky, holding large fish balloons at their ends. Their skin gleamed blue and green, reflecting the sunlight.

“Photovoltaic fish,” Jeongyeon realized. “This place is crazy.”

She followed the road around the field she had crossed the other night. The Other Car was still where she had left it:

It was so black in the afternoon sun that it seemed like a black hole, sucking up all light, shaped like a car. If not for the splashes of mud here and there and the tires, it would have almost seemed like an apparition. There were also paw marks all over the hood.

Jeongyeon surrounded it to check if something had broken, but besides the dirt, the car seemed to be in good condition. The uneven roads outside of Seoul were just not made for a sports car. Despite that, it had done a good job bringing Jeongyeon this way.

The mud underneath its wheels had dried in the afternoon sun and it took Jeongyeon only a marginal amount of pushing to get the car moving.

It followed her back into the village like an oversized dog, its engine barely whispering in the afternoon sun.

“You look terrible,” Jeongyeon told the car (and Navely). “We gotta wash you once you are back at Nayeon’s place. Seriously, it looks like we had a mudslinging competition.”

The engine howled in protest.

“It’s not entirely my fault. After all, you picked the road to get us here,” Jeongyeon said, not quite sure if the car was actually talking to her.

Again the engine whined.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll fix you, don’t worry.”

The engine’s sound died down to a subtle, gentle hum and Jeongyeon took it as an affirmative. She hadn’t talked - properly talked - with Navely since she’d been there, but it felt like it, speaking to both the cat and the vehicle.

They returned to Nayeon’s home and much to Jeongyeon’s surprise the car slowly overtook her and rounded the outer wall of Nayeon’s home. Jeongyeon had realized that there was a second entrance into the building:

A gate lifted in the back, hidden well away from the front into a secondary, smaller court, separated from the main area and the living quarters. It was filled with electronic equipment, robotic pieces and signs that Nayeon had occasionally blown up stuff here. For science, probably.

It had enough tools to repair anything under the sky, but some spots on the ground looked like small, black craters with remnants of electronics buried within them. They worried Jeongyeon slightly.

She moved the car into the middle of the small space and looked around to find a water hose.

The color of the car was almost not identifiable anymore - it had been a bad storm last night.

She stripped her training jacket and her t-shirt, until only her muscle shirt was left, then picked up the hose and checked the water pressure, before starting to round the car to clean it.

Not only half way done, she realized that she would be drenched - and mud-speckled too, but she didn’t care. The Other Car had to be cleaned first and afterwards she could always take a shower. Plus the walk around the field had made her sweat, her hair clinging to her forehead and some refreshment felt good.

It was also a warm day and her clothing would dry quickly.

It was easy to remove any dirt from the perfect, gleaming shell of the car - Nayeon had designed it in a way that nothing ever clung to it, if you just added water. The beading effect that was built into the car’s surface made the job tremendously easier.

When she was done, she wiped sweat from her forehead and took a deep breath.

As good as new.

Shading her eyes from the sun, she looked up at the perfect, blue sky of this late afternoon slowly dripping into the evening. The low sun was still bright despite already making its way to disappear past the horizon - and the air was still warm and summery.

Holding the hose over her head, she showered herself down for a short moment to get rid of superficial dirt and sweat, before turning around to roll up the tube again and put it away.

She turned towards the house, reading to change clothing and find Nayeon to get another task of housework, but the second time this day, Nayeon had been faster:

She stood by the door, somewhat frozen and gaping, staring at Jeongyeon, only snapping out of it when their eyes met.

Jeongyeon looked at her, then smiled brightly. “Hi.”

“H-hi,” Nayeon said, slightly flustered.

Jeongyeon lifted her eyebrows. “I just picked it up and took care of it.”

Nayeon swallowed. “Much appreciated. I mean - it was you who dirtied it. Like this.”

Jeongyeon smiled. “I know.”

“Good. I -”

Nayeon produced a cellphone from behind her back. “Jihyo wants to talk to you.” She handed her the phone, then stepped back as if Jeongyeon was some kind of hot furnace.

Maybe she was, Jeongyeon wondered, because Nayeon’s face was red and she seemed to be slightly out of breath.

Jeongyeon lifted her arm to wipe away more sweat and Nayeon followed the notion, her eyes wider than usual. Then she shoved her phone harder into Jeongyeon’s hands. “Why didn’t you bring your suits?”

Jeongyeon blinked. “It’s so warm - why would I bring my suits?” She lifted the front of her shirt with her hand and moved it back and forth for some ventilation. “I could take a bath in ice cubes.”

Nayeon grimaced, as if in pain - a weird kind of pain Jeongyeon couldn’t exactly place. “Be that as it may, just talk to Jihyo. I’ll be - I’m -” She faltered under Jeongyeon’s questioning glance. “I’ll be off, inventing something. God.” Then she scurried away.

Jeongyeon watched her leave, rounding the Navely cat on the doorstep that made quite a show of fake-grooming itself. She exchanged a glance with it.

“What was that all about?”

The cat rolled her eyes and strolled away.

Then Jeongyeon lifted the cellphone to her ear. “Hello?”

“Jeongyeon! Oh my God. Are you alright?”

In the back, she could hear Chaeyoung’s voice. “Is she alive and un-crippled?”

There was some wrestling for the phone and for the first few words of the sentence, Chaeyoung’s voice was very loud: “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Jeongyeon said.

Jihyo’s voice returned. “We were at your apartment. The Other Car was gone. You were gone. Where the hell are you? Nayeon won’t tell me.”

“I’m - not quite sure. The Im Family’s country retreat?”

Jihyo paused. “Is it an old, tiny village on the inside, but they have glass fibre internet and everything’s somehow very modern?”

Jeongyeon nodded. “Yes. You’ve been here before?”

“I’m her oldest friend, Jeongyeon. I’m sure you like it there,” Jihyo said after a moment. “At least you are safe.” There was another pause, and then a warning colored Jihyo’s next words: “I really hope you can clear whatever is poisoning the air between the two of you. This is getting ridiculous.”

“I know, I know.”

“Be nice, Jeongyeon. Try to compliment her!”

“Kiss her!” Chaeyoung suggested somewhere in the background.

“Make sweet lo -” Sana started, but Dahyun cut her short.

“Just be romantic! And when she tries to take your hand, don’t pull away!” Dahyun said, her voice calm and earnest. Sana giggled in the back.

“You heard them. Just don’t mess up. I’ll talk to you later!”

“Bye,” Jeongyeon mumbled, then the line went dead.

For a moment, she wondered what she could do. Two things came to mind:

Food and her daily workout which she hadn’t done yet. It seemed like a good idea to turn off her mind for the time being - and she also felt the uneasiness that came without having properly moved her body today.

There was a small gym, well equipped, in the back of the house. Most of the equipment, except for the treadmill, looked brand new. Jeongyeon went through them all - and then halfway through her chest exercise, her stomach reminded her that it was dinner time. She hadn’t had lunch and barely breakfast, and Nayeon was a terrible cook and she doubted they had pizza service around here.

She peeked into Nayeon’s fridge and pondered on what to make, finally deciding on something easy.

She whipped up some stir-fried noodles with roasted garlic, egg, chilli flakes, some spring onions and topped it with some roasted tofu. It looked good and smelled even more delicious, she decided. Setting it in two bowls on a tray, she called out:

“Navely!”

There was no response but one of the cats rounded the corner. It was a metallic green one and it stretched, pushing its legs forward and lifting the bottom in some weird version of cat yoga.

“I’ve made food. Where’s Nayeon?”

The cat slowly blinked once at Jeongyeon, then turned around without a meow. Jeongyeon followed her quickly, into the back of the house and down a staircase leading into the basement.

Navely led her down a long corridor with some doors on the left and the right. The door ahead was made from polished metal and when Navely approached, it slid open.

Faint music emerged from the other side - _Gee, gee, gee, gee, baby, baby_ \- and when Jeongyeon entered, she noticed all the electronic chaos (of course) in a large room with a desk in the middle. The wall on the right was again completely made from glass - but this time, Jeongyeon could see fish on the other side.

She realized that she was looking at the pond in the middle of the house from an entirely different perspective.

Nayeon hadn’t noticed her yet. She danced around a robot arm, which tried to keep up with her, the end of it following her, as she sang along to the _Girls’ Generation_ song. It wasn’t the smooth kind of dancing Jeongyeon had seen her do in clubs; where she tried to pick up someone, where she showed the world what she wanted them to see.

It was barefooted dancing, similar to those blow-up figures that just uncontrollably waved and moved and rolled to a song only they could hear. It was Nayeon with crazy hair and oversized clothing and a t-shirt that had coffee stains and oil specks. She was wearing her large, thin-rimmed glasses and her face was completely bare, as she yelled “Gee, gee, gee, gee-”.

Jeongyeon set down the tray, tried to be quiet and slowly approached her, sidestepping her in a way that she was always facing Nayeon’s back.

After a moment, she was so close to Nayeon that, if she hadn't had good reflexes, Nayeon would have elbowed her gut at least twice.

Jeongyeon wondered, while she dodged her, what the other woman was waiting for, then somewhere on the loaded desk something dinged.

“Finally!”

Nayeon moved forward, away from Jeongyeon, and Jeongyeon realized that buried amongst all that electronic clutter that was probably worth millions, a microwave was hidden. Jeongyeon watched curiously over Nayeon’s shoulder, only a step away, what was inside.

It was a frozen pizza.

Nayeon was ready to reach for it, when Jeongyeon said:

“Don’t you dare!”

A sharp scream escaped Nayeon as she flicked around, the fright making her catch air. She pressed herself against the desk, both hands reaching behind for the tabletop, clawing into it. Then she realized who it was and noticed Jeongyeon’s shit-eating grin.

“Hi.”

“Oh - oh my God! Jeongyeon! What are you doing down here?” One of her hands managed to grasp a magazine - an IKEA instruction manual - and swatted Jeongyeon’s arm with it. “You. Scared. The. Hell out of me. Jeongyeon!”

“I’m sorry.” Jeongyeon didn’t _look_ particularly sorry. “But I brought food! You can’t eat that crap.”

Nayeon crossed her arms over her chest, still defiant, but her ability to project it effectively seemed to have shrunken. “Says who?”

“Says me,” Jeongyeon said. “Come on. Before it gets cold.”

“Is it stir-fry noodles?” Nayeon asked after a moment.

“It is.”

Nayeon tried to make herself look taller, huffing herself up to a tiny, Nayeon-shaped balloon full of fake confidence, as she hid the fact that Jeongyeon had scared the living daylights out of her just with her presence and sidestepped her.

Jeongyeon didn’t move, but for a moment, they were so, so close. Closer than they had been since that fateful night where Jeongyeon had kissed her and made a run for it.

Nayeon was not one to be shy or bashful - and if she was, she usually faced those feelings head on, stopping right where she stood closest to Jeongyeon. The bodyguard didn’t move away and Nayeon lifted an eyebrow at that.

“Being brave today, Yoo?”

Jeongyeon shrugged, still half a smirk on her face. She would see Nayeon’s walls crumbling, right before her very eyes. It didn’t take much, she knew - she hoped - and it would be between them like it had been before.

Or similar, at least.

She hoped.

“Not as brave as you for eating that pizza, Im,” Jeongyeon answered, smirking at her.

They had a little stare-off and it was fascinating to see how Nayeon’s cheeks grew redder and redder the longer Jeongyeon stared at her. Then Jeongyeon leaned forward just a bit, and it was enough to break Nayeon.

She looked away, ears red. Jeongyeon wasn’t sure why she had stepped back. Because she was still clinging to her anger or if she was truly embarrassed.

But she had seen Nayeon be extremely outrageous before, winking at her from the stage, blowing her a kiss at conferences when nobody saw. She had made out at least twice with ex-girlfriends in the adjoining room to avoid a particularly boring powerpoint presentation.

Shying-away-Nayeon was new.

Jeongyeon had never experienced Nayeon being mad at her - not truly - so maybe this was part of that.

Jeongyeon plopped down at the couch right in front of the aquarium slash window to the pond and reached behind to take the two plates from the table. Offering one of them to Nayeon, she smiled: “Best stir fried noodles on the planet?”

“I have a high bar for stir fried noodles, just so you know,” Nayeon said and finally plopped down as well, with a bit of distance.

They ate in silence. After a while, Jeongyeon asked into the quietness:

“If you liked me, why did you have so many girlfriends? Who were all supermodels?”

Nayeon slurped in the last noodle, while looking at her, lifting an eyebrow. It took her so long to eat that thing while making eye contact that Jeongyeon started to grow uneasy.

Then: “Are you serious?”

“I am,” Jeongyeon said. She set down her bowl.

Nayeon took a deep breath. “Jeongyeon. I’ve been flirting with you non-stop for _years_. You almost always reacted by being annoyed.” She paused. “The only times you didn’t were when I was either in grave danger or cried or both.”

Jeongyeon didn’t quite know what to reply, then settled for: “I don’t like it when you are sad or scared.”

“I know. But _I_ thought you didn’t want me.”

Jeongyeon paused, looking at Nayeon, searching for something. Her voice sounded heavy. “Why did you think I stayed all these years?”

Nayeon snorted and looked at her food, poking aimlessly at a noodle. “I pay you very well.”

“Paid,” Jeongyeon corrected her immediately.

“Paid.” She rolled her eyes then looked up at her former bodyguard. “I thought if that was the only way I could keep you, then so be it.”

Jeongyeon realized that the girl in front of her thought she could only keep her by paying for her company. What kind of shitty friend she must have been to her to think that. What kind of shitty human being, really. “I’m very, very sorry you thought that.”

Nayeon barked a laugh. “What for?”

“For … communicating so badly how much I like you,” Jeongyeon finally said. She stared at her hands that clawed into her pants, crumpling up the fabric.

This was so difficult, voicing things like this, her heart all vulnerable, exposed to be easily broken. It threatened to slip through her ribcage and out, out towards Nayeon. And it would crash and burn if Nayeon wouldn’t catch it - and it would be the worst thing in the world.

“Are you crying?”

“No.”

“Jeong.”

“I hate it when people - when _you_ \- see me like this. Okay?” She wiped furiously at her eyes. “ _I’m_ supposed to to protect _you_ ,” she added with more petulance than she would have wished for.

“You _are_ protecting me, Jeong. God.” She fished a tissue from the desk behind her and scooted closer. “If you don’t trust _me_ with these kind of things,” she started to dab at Jeongyeon’s tears and Jeongyeon tried to swat her hands away and then faltered and stopped under the strictest, most Jihyo-like glare she had ever seen on Nayeon’s face. “Then who are you going to trust?”

“Pffff.” Jeongyeon let her, but crossed her arms over her chest. “You are crying too.”

“I always cry, Jeong. I’m a crybaby, remember? I cried when Chaeyoung got her first tattoo.”

“I know.” She let Nayeon dab her face some more, watching her.

The fact that for the first time in their relationship, nothing between them had a professional component. For the first time, it was Nayeon taking care of Jeongyeon. Something tiny but significant stirred inside of Jeongyeon and then it evaporated.

It didn’t result in a flood of repressed emotion, suddenly rushing for the floodgates, but it resulted in a singular, tiny drip of something Jeongyeon had never allowed before its freedom.

That tiny drip fell and hit something in her heart and she felt how a tiny flower bloomed, the feeling blinding and happy, as it cautiously craned towards a bunny-teethed sun.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Nayeon said suddenly. Her hands dropped from Jeongyeon’s face to her shoulders.

“Like what?”

“Like - I don’t know. Like you are about to say something that’ll make me cry harder than you.”

Jeongyeon’s smile was small, but happy, her red eyes crinkling into crescents: “Just to clarify things: I do want you. More than anything”.

And Nayeon - her hands clawing into her shoulders, gaping openly, and her eyes slowly filled with tears.

For a moment, Jeongyeon thought this was going to be their happy moment, their culmination of - of something, but then Nayeon reached out and swatted Jeongyeon’s shoulder. “You idiot! You made me cry!” She swatted her again. “I was planning on being mad at you for at least another week!” Another whack. “And now you are suddenly all endearing!” She aimed again for her shoulder, but this time, Jeongyeon caught her hands and pulled gently, half a smirk, half an affectionate smile on her face. “You absolute total twat!”

But Nayeon let herself be pulled towards her, so that had to count for something. And she still tried to look mad when she finally had moved to sit sideways on Jeongyeon’s lap.

“We are even, I’d say. You have seen me cry,” she took the tissue from Nayeon’s hand and dabbed _her_ tears. “And I have seen you cry.”

Nayeon rolled her eyes and whacked her again, sniffling. “You are still such a slowpoke. You told me you like me and that you want me and yet -”

Jeongyeon leaned forward, pressing the faintest brush of a kiss on her lips, then leaned back.

“And yet?”

For a moment, she wondered if she had done something wrong, when Nayeon didn’t react at all, just gasping for air, staring at her. 

But this was where they were heading towards, right? Being like this, being together? This was -

Her doubt quickly evaporated when Nayeon’s hands shot out to pull her closer, her eyes going cross-eyed for just a moment when she zeroed in on Jeongyeon’s lips before making contact.

Jeongyeon chuckled against her lips.

“Yah,” Nayeon mumbled. “No laughing at my kissing abilities.”

“I’m not, I’m not.” Her hands moved around the other girl’s hips, her warmth immediately creeping through her fingers upwards.

Nayeon’s ability to drive Jeongyeon up a metaphorical wall that was currently made of immeasurable affection and some feeling that was located in her lower regions started to shift into a higher gear.

Jeongyeon’s first kisses were, thanks to her unflinching self-control, soft and small, and she could already tell that Nayeon was having none of it. She answered in kind, but thanks to a faint hint of tongue, they turned increasingly wet and thus bolder.

Jeongyeon hadn’t had much time to revel in Nayeon’s kiss in that one moment back then that had ultimately turned her into a coward, but she had now.

There was the taste of spices from the food, of course, but then something all the more sweeter.

It made Jeongyeon want to look for it, wanting more of its taste, and it was right then when she licked further into Nayeon’s mouth.

Nayeon groaned and the sound made Jeongyeon chase her taste with even more conviction.

There were a few things Jeongyeon didn’t realize the last time she kissed Nayeon, one of them being that despite the messiness of their kiss, its intensity, Nayeon cradled her face oh-so gently. That despite their teeth clanking against each other twice, her touch on her cheek was like a feather, her fingers brushing carefully against her cheekbones, one hand carefully moving down to gently cup her chin, as if she was holding on to something fragile.

She moved, having to break the kiss for just a moment to put her knees on either side of Jeongyeon’s thighs and while Jeongyeon appreciated the gesture, she still chased after her that brief moment they were separated. It reminded her a lot of what she always - in different sorts of capacities - did to Nayeon; chase after her.

Nayeon was taller than her like this: she looked down at her and smoothed back her hair. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Jeongyeon answered and knew that she probably grinned back at her like a dork.

Nayeon’s hands continued to travel through Jeongyeon’s hair. “I’m glad you came for me.” Her hand travelled down again to Jeongyeon’s chin, lifting it slightly. “Even if I was sending some mixed signals about your presence.”

Jeongyeon covered her hand with her own, and turned her head to kiss the palm. She watched Nayeon’s eyes widen at the gesture. “I sent mixed signals first. So I think we are good.” She leaned upwards to peck her lips.

Then she remembered something.

She had to ask. She was afraid, but she had to ask - also because if she stopped facing her fears now, she would lose that superpower to be brave.

“Are we - I mean - are we good?”

Nayeon’s expression softened. She leaned down and pressed the softest kiss back onto her lips. “We are good. However.” And then she poked Jeongyeon’s shoulder. “If you run from me again like that, I’ll make Navely hunt you down and make every appliance in your new apartment play Gangnam style twenty four seven.” She poked her once more. “Got it?”

Jeongyeon caught her hand again. “Got it.” She grinned at her like an idiot and leaned forward to nuzzle her nose against the other girl.

It had been an eventful, exhausting day, she decided, but a good day nonetheless. Exhausting, emotionally too, but good.

And despite all her newfound happiness, she couldn’t help herself and a tiny yawn escaped her.

Nayeon, still holding on to her, leaned back slightly to regard her properly. “We should go to bed before you fall over.”

Jeongyeon tried hard not to be disappointed by the suggestion. “It’s okay.”

“You don’t look okay.” She fixed Jeongyeon’s hair with a kind of affectionate expression that made Jeongyeon’s heart ache.

If bravery felt this good, Jeongyeon cursed herself for not being braver earlier. 

“In fact,” Nayeon continued. “You look like you want to sleep. In a bed.” She paused.

Jeongyeon stared at her. “Where else would I be sleeping?”

Something in Nayeon’s expression shifted. Jeongyeon could detect amusement somewhere in there but also some frustration. “You are so bad at this.” She got up from Jeongyeon’s lap and stood between her thighs, Jeongyeon’s hands still on her hips, as she looked up at her, confused.

“I’m so bad at what?”

“Everything.” She took Jeongyeon’s hand and pulled her to her feet then towards the door.

“So bed?” Jeongyeon asked, still confused, following her like a puppy.

“Yes. Bed.” Nayeon cast her a glance over her shoulder. “ _My_ bed.”

Jeongyeon’s grasp around Nayeon’s hand tightened. She stared at the smaller girl and made a very conscious effort to _not_ panic, to _just_ look at her face and not at the rest of her body and again not to panic, because it would make things so much worse.

She remembered what Nayeon looked like that day on the beach - it had been the most unclothed state she had ever seen Nayeon in, and boy, did this do nothing to make her thought process any more coherent.

The memory of the beach brought on additional images (in no particular order):

Her soft skin, hot breath, sweat, skin against other skin, a body lowering itself onto another, a groan against her ear …

She felt herself short circuiting slowly, all within a moment because Nayeon had mentioned her bed, and speaking of Nayeon, she looked at her with a worried expression on her face.

“Are you okay?”

So Jeongyeon said the first thing that came to mind. “I only kissed you twice in my life!”

Nayeon smirked, stepping closer. “Is that code for wanting to kiss me more often?”

Jeongyeon felt her last two remaining brain cells fight for survival. “Yes - yes, especially before we do - before -” She made a vague hand motion.

The smirk changed into something kinder, happier. “You are really cute.”

“So are you,” Jeongyeon said, surprising herself.

Nayeon giggled and drilled an index finger affectionately _and_ painfully into Jeongyeon’s shoulder. “Come on, you.”

And she dragged her all the way up to the master bathroom to wash up and to let Jeongyeon decompress a bit, because the former bodyguard felt like steam was coming out of her ears.

Jeongyeon stared at her own face in the mirror, supporting herself with both hands on the sink.

She almost didn’t recognize herself: exhausted and flushed, her hair a bit of a mess and a bit longer, even though this didn’t make any sense: after all, her hair couldn’t grow this quickly.

Her heart seemed to have picked up the pace and set it as a default now.

She was scared in the face of her own bravery, she realized. Outside of the bathroom, through the door, there was the wooden floor and then a carpet and then the large bed, sturdy and intimidating.

She wondered what it would be like. A volley of images hit her: breath against her ear, a twitch, her fingers wandering down her stomach, arms clinging to her, universal happiness.

She washed up, brushed her teeth and borrowed some of Nayeon’s face creams for the night. It didn’t wipe away the nervousness, but made her settle down a bit. For a moment, she wished for Jihyo, because Jihyo could set her head straight - then she pushed the thought away.

She could do this by herself. She knew she could.

Nayeon took longer than Jeongyeon in the bathroom - so she waited for her, sitting at the end of the bed, fidgeting nervously.

The tastefully chosen beddings that felt like satin under her hands worried her. The size of the bed worried her. The fact that it had a fluffy, round bunny pillow that looked well-loved worried her.

Jeongyeon twiddled with her hands, listening to the sound of a faucet being turned on and Nayeon humming softly.

She wondered if Nayeon wanted to cuddle. Then Jeongyeon realized that Nayeon always wanted to cuddle. She was the most skinship-happy person Jeongyeon had ever met.

Looking back at the bed, she considered her next step and then finally made the decision to slip under the blanket of the unused side. It provided her a very flimsy kind of protection against something Jeongyeon couldn’t even properly point her finger at - and when Nayeon emerged from the bathroom, Jeongyeon realized what she needed protection from.

She pulled the blanket up under her nose. “What are you wearing?!”

Nayeon looked down at herself, an innocent expression on her face. “What do you mean?”

Jeongyeon pointed. “What _is_ that?”

“Nightwear!”

“Says who?”

“Victoria’s Secret,” Nayeon said, her smile way too oblivious to be genuine. She sauntered over to her side of the bed and Jeongyeon tried hard not to stare.

It was a two-piece - both its pants and the top were way too short. It revealed not only a considerable amount of cleavage, but also only covered the back below her shoulder blades. The fact that it was seamed with lace fabric and had flowers printed on it didn’t help at all.

“In case you are wondering, this isn’t purple, it’s called feather blue,” Nayeon said so off-handedly that for a moment, Jeongyeon wasn’t sure if it really was just a randomly chosen garment.

Then she noticed Nayeon’s almost-hidden smirk that emerged for a split-second and she realized that Nayeon had definitely _not_ chosen that thing randomly.

“Do you like it?” Nayeon asked, as she picked up a bottle of lotion from her nightstand and squeezed some fluid on her hands.

Jeongyeon watched her from behind the blanket. “It’s okay.”

“It’s satin,” Nayeon said. She put the bottle back and rubbed the lotion up her lower arms to her elbows. “It feels really soft.”

“So does my jersey pair of ten year old pajamas that covers every bit of my body, by the way,” Jeongyeon snapped back, her ears red.

“Yes, I’ve noticed. It’s a shame, really,” Nayeon said, then slipped under the covers.

“Are we not going to cuddle?” she asked, reaching for Jeongyeon with outstretched arms.

“I don’t know - are you going to behave?”

“I wish I didn’t have to, but it seems you are leaving me no choice.” She took a long suffering sigh. “But I guess,” she said and slid over, all business-like. “How you ever get to do the horizontal tango with all that clothing and your kind of personality will forever be a mystery.”

“My kind of person - excuse you!” Jeongyeon complained. “I’ll have you know that plenty of girls are interested in me.”

“And how many did you actually acknowledge?”

“One,” Jeongyeon said, somewhat grumpy. “But we both sucked at communication up until twenty minutes ago.”

Nayeon opened and closed her mouth twice. “I’ll just consider this your version of being romantic, so thanks? I guess?”

“Who said I was talking about you?”

“Want to sleep on the couch?”

“We both know you don’t want me to sleep on the couch, Im.”

“Don’t push your luck, Yoo,” Nayeon shot back. She pulled the blanket up under her nose, then turned around. “Goodnight.”

“Aw, come on. Nayeon!”

No reaction.

“Do you want to cuddle?"

The “Not anymore” was short and probably accompanied by a pout.

Jeongyeon took a deep breath. She eyed the back that faced her. Her nervousness had dimmed down to a tiny glimmer that burned in the depth of her stomach. Scooting over, she let a finger drop onto Nayeon’s neck. The girl tensed up immediately.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish,” Nayeon whispered.

“I’m not. It’s just harmless cuddling.” Jeongyeon moved her finger down her spine and then around her ribcage, draping it over her midsection to pull herself closer.

Then she leaned forward and buried her face between her shoulder blades. There was the faint smell of her lotion, the warmth of her skin, the thrumming of her heart.

She moved her hand to Nayeon’s stomach, still aware that the girl was practically rigid against her and scratched gently with blunt nails at the satin of Nayeon’s “randomly chosen” sleeping attire.

“Good night, Nayeon,” she mumbled against her skin.

For a moment, Jeongyeon wondered if she was going to be stiff like a plank for the entire night, but then she felt Nayeon relax against her.

“Good night, Jeongyeon.”

And Jeongyeon knew they were going to be good.

*

In all her years with Nayeon, Jeongyeon had learned quite a lot about her:

That she was brilliant in everything work-related and that she was not when it came to her social life. That she loved her family and friends with abandon and that she always let them know.

That this sometimes resulted in questionable sprouts of affection.

When Jeongyeon woke up the next day, she blinked against the light that inexplicably drew a rainbow all over the white wall of Nayeon’s bedroom. Where the light hit the bed, she felt wonderfully warmed.

But the collar of her shirt felt wet.

Looking down, she found a head of messy hair pushed against the junction of her throat and shoulder, lips pressed against her, parted, drool escaping them.

One arm was thrown over her chest and one leg was clinging to Jeongyeon’s thigh. Nayeon was making a statement as to her affection - even in her sleep.

She tried to carefully wriggle out of Nayeon’s hold, but it proved to be ironclad.

Contemplating her next move, she decided that laying there with a girl she liked in her arms wasn’t exactly the worst idea.

Nayeon’s hair tickled against Jeongyeon’s shoulder. Each breath pressed her chest against Jeongyeon’s side. She reached out and touched Nayeon’s hair, caressing it gently. It felt soft and silky - and when she picked up a strand, she found that her hair had a scent like peach. And sandalwood, weirdly.

She had never noticed it before.

Just because she could, she picked up the strand and pressed it under her nose, lifting her upper lip a bit to create a fake moustache. It seemed like a fun idea - and Nayeon’s body pinned her in place, not allowing for much room to do anything else.

Jeongyeon made a sound: “Hum, hum -” and grinned to herself and her older-gentleman-imitation, when Nayeon chose that particular moment to wake up.

Jeongyeon froze under her gaze, still an impressive fake moustache under her nose and Nayeon, sleepily, lifted an inquiring eyebrow.

“Good morning?”

“Morning.” Jeongyeon dropped Nayeon’s hair. “I - I was bored.”

“I didn’t ask.”

“I’m choosing to answer - voluntarily,” Jeongyeon managed weakly. “Are you hungry?”

Nayeon lifted an eyebrow, the smirk already approaching.

“For food,” Jeongyeon clarified, rolling her eyes.

She reached out, an index finger outlining Jeongyeon’s collarbone. “Okay.”

Jeongyeon tried hard not to react. “Okay what?”

Nayeon shrugged, her smirk reminding Jeongyeon of one of those Disney cats, ready to devour an innocent, little mouse. She had a sparkle in her eyes that Jeongyeon found highly disconcerting, but at the same time tried hard not to fall into it.

If she just were a bit _less_ attractive.

“Okay food,” Nayeon answered, but made no attempt to move away. Instead she did the opposite: She moved closer, half atop of Jeongyeon, one hand playing piano on her stomach.

“Someone seems to have regained their confidence,” Jeongyeon muttered. The movements of soft, gentle fingers sent ripples of goosebumps up her body and these days - these days it was getting harder to - to …

“It’s always easier when the other person likes you back,” Nayeon said. “Plus, given your skinship allergy -”

“Not a thing.”

“ _Given your skinship allergy_ , I never know when I get to do this again.”

Jeongyeon leaned back to regard the girl properly. “You think this is not going to happen again?”

“I don’t know - you tell me.” Nayeon said it lightly, but the piano piece on her stomach had stopped.

“Do you really think I don’t like - I don’t like -”

“You can’t even say it, Jeongyeon,” Nayeon noted, reaching out to wipe something away - probably non-existent - from Jeongyeon’s lower lip.

(Jeongyeon wondered what it would feel like to just kiss the pad of a finger.)

“Skinship,” Jeongyeon said slowly, the word rolling down her tongue like a tennis ball made from lead over a stony mountain road. “Do you think I don’t like skinship?”

“Yes. I _have_ to think that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Because if you do like skinship, you just don’t like skinship with me. But I mean.” Nayeon’s eyes flicked away, then the piano piece on Jeongyeon’s stomach turned somewhat irregular. “You came here, you kissed me, you slept in my bed with me, so somewhere, my logic must have taken a wrong turn.”

Jeongyeon listened to her, silent, then shook her head. “I must have come over as such a jerk.”

Nayeon shrugged, still playing. She seemed a bit smaller than usual. “Well, do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Like skinship.” The hand on Jeongyeon’s abs extended an index finger and poked her once. “Try to keep up!”

“I do - I … I like it. It’s just -” She breathed in, slightly uneven. “I’ll show you, but you’ll like it too much.”

Her hand moved to grasp Nayeon’s and lifted it, wanting to place it on her heart, but then decided otherwise: She pulled it up to kiss it’s backside and _then_ put it over her heart.

Nayeon melted, but it didn’t do anything to alleviate her confusion.

“Do something.”

“Do what?”

Jeongyeon shrugged. “Skinship.” And echoed Nayeon’s earlier words: “Try to keep up.”

Nayeon grinned, bright and happy and worrisome. “You asked for it.” Then, with her flat palm still pressed onto the left side of Jeongyeon’s chest, she moved up to straddle Jeongyeon’s thighs. Her hair falling forward as she leaned in - it was embarrassing, really.

It was just a brush of soft, dry lips against Jeongyeon’s and they both felt it: a spike of her heartbeat, like a thunderclap, hard against her ribcage.

“Do you feel it?” Jeongyeon’s lips moved against Nayeon’s, who was just staring at her. She swallowed hard and tried to ignore how soft her skin was, and how pretty her eyes were and how it made her feel. “Liking you is quite a lot for - me. You are distracting twenty four seven and I was your bodyguard.”

Nayeon bit her lip, leaned in again - and Jeongyeon was readying herself for it. But it never came, just a peck on her cheek.

“We don’t want you to die of a heart attack then, no?” Nayeon asked lightly and patted Jeongyeon’s chest.

“Uh, - I guess?”

Then she got up and away - and Jeongyeon suddenly felt terribly light and terribly cold. However the smile Nayeon gave her from the other end of the bed, where she was standing, fixing her hair, made her heart thunder harder and louder than any kiss she had gotten from her so far.

Jeongyeon wasn’t sure if Nayeon knew she was watching her, but when she cast a glance over her shoulder to wink at her, Jeongyeon knew she was very aware.

She fought against another short circuit in her system, but her hormone drenched brain refused.

_Just when had it become like this?_

Some part of her managed to reach at least some safe territory: “What do you want for breakfast?”

A cackling laughter from Nayeon told Jeongyeon that she had a first, vastly different answer, before she said: “Scrambled eggs?”

“Okay.”

It was something Jeongyeon could work with, so she got up and slipped into shorts and a t-shirt and made her way to the kitchen. Nayeon’s kiss was still buzzing in her limbs - and it felt like it had seeped right into her bones. Even while busying herself with something that required at least some concentration, she couldn’t quite shake it.

She was halfway through cooking the bacon, when Nayeon emerged from the bedroom, showered and clad in loose training clothes.

Climbing onto one of the high bar stools in front of the kitchen island, where Jeongyeon was cooking, she watched her. She rested her head on one hand, body slightly bent forward.

“Want me to make you roll your eyes?”

Jeongyeon was almost premature, but then looked up. “Sure?”

“Do you know what I first liked about you when we met the first time on that technical bridge and Jihyo saved you?”

Jeongyeon lifted her spatula. “Jihyo saved _you_ , but sure, go on.”

“Jihyo saved _you_ ,” Nayeon insisted, but then continued: “I liked your valiant personality - you were so determined to do everything well and right. I guess your absolute moral stance was something I - I liked and wanted.”

“Jihyo has that stance too,” Jeongyeon commented, while moving the eggs and the bacon around in the pan.

“Yes, but I’m not listening to her. Most of the time.” She tried to snatch some egg, but Jeongyeon swatted her away.

They stared at the food in silence for some time, then Nayeon added: “Plus, I really liked your abs.”

Like a reflex, Jeongyeon groaned and rolled her eyes.

Nayeon exploited that moment of temporary weakness and stabbed a piece of bacon, taking a crunchy bite with a smirk.

“What? It’s not my fault you are totally my type.”

“Whose fault is it then? And besides, did you hire me because I was cute -”

“ _I said_ I liked your abs.”

“ _\- because I was cute_ and not based on my professional capabilities?”

“Well. The universe has spoken because you happen to possess both.” She shrugged.

Jeongyeon poked at the eggs, not looking up. “Were you - I mean, did you like me immediately after I started working with you?”

Nayeon shook her head. “No. It took me around a year to realize that I could potentially _like-like_ you. Your broody personality and the fact that you _always_ told me what to do weren’t pleasant - I thought you were the kind of person who would list ‘glaring at people’ under hobbies.”

“But - you flirted with me from the get go,” Jeonyegon said and gathered the crumbled up eggs on a plate.

“Yes, but,” Nayeon shrugged easily. “I flirt with most people. When did you first like me?”

“Six months in,” Jeongyeon said, and ignored how Nayeon froze halfway on the way to the table to stare at her. “However the others think it was love at first sight.” 

“You are kidding me.” Nayeon’s expression was sharp and disbelieving and she started to follow Jeongyeon when she returned to the kitchen to get the milk and the orange juice.

Jeongyeon shrugged, avoiding her glance. She held one milk carton in one hand and a box of orange juice in the other, nudging the fridge close with her hip and turned around. Nayeon stepped close, crowding her.

“You are kidding me,” Nayeon said again. She searched Jeongyeon’s eyes, looking for something that would tell her it wasn’t true. “You _are_ kidding me.”

Jeongyeon shrugged once more, this time sheepish. “I mean - you are funny when you are not annoying. And I think you are … you are not half bad to look at.”

Nayeon snorted.

“And it was the first time I could have loud, angry fights with someone and they didn’t act petty about it. You pouted after, but you never gave me the silent treatment - quite the opposite really.” She paused. “It’s a gift to argue well with someone.”

Nayeon still stared at her. There was some wetness in her eyes and she barked a laugh, short and disbelieving and watery.

“So we have good screaming matches and I’m halfway attractive?”

Jeongyeon sighed, then leaned in. She met Nayeon’s eyes, willing her to understand. “You are kind under all that bravado and overly inflated confidence and I think you are devastatingly beautiful.”

Nayeon’s jaw almost hit the floor - it would have been comical if Jeongyeon’s hands didn’t fall off by the weight of the orange juice and the mik. Nayeon made no attempt at moving however. “I will also deny that I have ever said this, should you bring it up in front of the others.”

She sidestepped Nayeon, frozen to a statue, but the girls’ hand held on to her arm to look up at her. She almost cried. “You think I’m a beautiful human being _and_ pretty?”

“Not right now, exactly, but -”

With tears coming out of her eyes _and_ nose, she whacked Jeongyeon’s shoulder with an indignant whine, then stomped off to get tissues.

Jeongyeon grinned to herself, as she continued to set the table.

Nayeon proceeded to be grumpy and whiny for the rest of the day, but when they went grocery shopping, and she complained loudly about prices and quality of watermelons and kimchi, she held onto Jeongyeon’s arm the entire day.

Jeongyeon’s attempts to shake her off were getting half-hearted - and then quarter-hearted and then seemed to cease entirely. There was a moment when Nayeon leaned over the freezer to survey the frozen goods - Ben & Jerry’s seemed like good company for a movie night.

She looked up and held up a large box of Chocolate cookie dough ice cream and Jeongyeon nodded, one hand on the shopping cart. She lifted her arm a bit, offering Nayeon to hook herself under - and the girl crossed the distance of two aisles and happily and readily attached herself to the offered arm.

Jeongyeon only grumbled once about it.

The warmth in Jeongyeon’s stomach started to grow in size - and in urgency. Nayeon smiled up at her, brightly, and dragged her towards the cashier - and Jeongyeon had to look away, had to avoid making eye contact.

It was something warm and urgent and big; something so needy that it pulsed in her chest, grew and grew until it encompassed everything and it was still not enough.

It started as a tiny flame when she just smiled at her or when she argued with the cashier about the weight of the watermelon. It was small things, like later on, when they reached the house and Jeongyeon took care of all the groceries and then sat down in the garden by the pond to read and Nayeon did a ridiculously stupid crab dance in the kitchen, while heating up leftovers in the microwave. It was small things, like watching her work in the workshop, grease all over her face, her hair barely contained by her ponytail, her face concentrated as she hovered over the bits and parts of a disassembled cellphone. 

Initially Jeongyeon couldn’t quite place what it was - or didn’t want to, really, because everything happened so fast: She had planned on strolling down that slope of emotional and … other intimacy, but she felt her heart preferred to race towards it, like a train, at full speed, no brakes assembled, one track only, thank you very much.

And one day, that train would hit her right in the face.

It started with the dishwasher, fascinatingly enough.

It was an Im Tech one with a large display, no Bluetooth and the same problems most dishwashers had:

Despite all its modern technology, it got clogged when you put dishes into it that hadn’t been cleaned properly beforehand.

“It’s clogged.”

“I know.”

“It’s your fault.”

“It’s not.”

“It totally is. Not only did you build that thing, you also put way too dirty dishes into it.”

“It should be able to handle those.”

“Well, it clearly doesn’t, Nayeon.” She had crossed her arms and now motioned towards the dishwasher with a wide gesture. “You killed your own machine.”

“I did not kill my own machine. Let me see.” She nudged Jeongyeon away and dived into the abyss of the dishwasher.

There was some cursing involved and the entire machine hiccupped once, then Nayeon emerged from its depth, holding a small, round thing.

“It’s just the sieve!” she announced, as she set it down on the kitchen surface and washed her hands.

Jeongyeon stared at her - she watched her lips moving, but whatever came out was just a vague sound in the back. Sure, she was wearing sweatpants that looked like they were half a century old. And there was a talking piece of sushi with two eyes on her shirt. And it had holes at the shoulder, and threatened to drop off one shoulder quite dangerously. And her hair was a mess and somewhere in there, a pencil started to get lost that she had put there and probably forgot - and she was wearing her retainer, because she had forgotten to put it in last night. And she wore two different kinds of socks - one pizza colored and one pineapple colored. And there was a thin sheen of sweat on her throat, that had probably developed because it had taken some strength to remove the sieve - and … and … to Jeongyeon, that very moment, that she waved that sieve right under her nose, she had never looked so attractive.

She cursed internally, using the f-word. And realized that the f-word was appropriate for this situation in more than one way. Except that she didn’t want to just f-word Nayeon, she always wanted to l-word her, she realized, and she couldn’t decide which one was worse.

She stepped back, breathing slowly in and out. In and out.

Nayeon continued: “It,” _It? What it? Oh, the sieve._ “has always been the weakness of those.” She wiped away a strand of her hair that had come loose from her bun.

The pencil fell to the ground and Nayeon watched it fall. “Oh. I’ve been looking for this one.”

Jeongyeon, already bothered as it was, knew that she had to look away. That she should truly look away. Now.

But couldn’t, as Nayeon bent down to pick up the damn pencil. She turned towards Jeongyeon, smiling brightly and showed it to her and Jeongyeon was ready to die.

Happily so.

“You just have to replace it - or clean it,” Nayeon said. Then she noticed Jeongyeon’s expression and stepped closer. “Are you okay?”

Jeongyeon nodded, like a robot, but her eyes followed Nayeon’s hand, as she lifted it and tugged at her own shirt, lifting it a bit at the front, then pushing it back against her chest - again and again for some air circulation. It was a _hot_ day.

The damn shirt fell off Nayeon’s shoulder in the process and Jeongyeon had to close her eyes.

“Jeong?”

Jeongyeon tried hard not to think about more details: like how she could see way too much cleavage and how her thighs looked in the oldest pair of shorts she could find.

“I’m not feeling well,” Jeongyeon rasped and stepped back.

Nayeon closed in on her, a dent between her eyebrows. “Are you getting sick?”

“No?” Jeongyeon croaked and God, she had to get away, because - because.

“You do look sick,” Nayeon insisted. She wiped away some sweat under her jaw, dabbing it with the back of her hand. And by watching it, Jeongyeon learned that just looking at Nayeon’s skin and hand made her heart go faster.

What she also learned was to never underestimate Nayeon’s perception.

Nayeon watched Jeongyeon watching her - and the hand that was dabbing her jaw suddenly extended, the index finger following down an invisible line down her chin, throat and then down her lower …

Jeongyeon’s eyes flicked away, her ears a glowing pink. “I have to -”

“To?” Nayeon asked, stepping closer.

“To - do the laundry,” she managed, staring at the fridge. What a fascinating fridge it was. “I forgot and I might run out of underwear?”

Nayeon stepped closer. Her voice was strangely low - Jeongyeon felt it in her ears and it went down through a very sensitive spot in her stomach down to her toes. “Need help with - _the laundry?_ ”

“No?” She looked at her for a short moment, then tried to sidestep her. Nayeon wouldn’t let her, sidestepping her as well. Her eyes pinned her into place and … a part of her started to give up, just crumble with walls made from sand. “Nayeon -”

The smaller woman reached up to cup her face, holding it gently by the ears like a cup. “I’m here. It’s all good.” Jeongyeon stepped back and the fridge pressed into her back. “It’s all good.”

Jeongyeon took in a shuddering breath. She didn’t even know what she was scared of; that it had been so long since she had someone or of Nayeon herself, who she was so desperately in love with.

She was never one to initiate. She never let herself, even in the face of Nayeon - Nayeon on the beach, her skin glowing in the sun; Nayeon in a long cocktail dress; Nayeon smiling at her like the sun; Nayeon just reading next to her, her head on her lap, one hand playing with her fingers.

Her universe started to narrow down and focus on a singular person - who looked at her, confused and hopeful.

“Jeongy-”

“You are so pretty.” It wasn’t exactly what she had meant to come out, but judging by the lifted eyebrows and the sudden ‘o’ her lips formed, it wasn’t the worst thing to say.

Jeongyeon straightened herself, the four centimetres height difference suddenly more apparent than ever - as Jeongyeon pressed forward.

“You are so pretty and sometimes I just don't know how - how -” She struggled for words as they were stuck like dry tumble weeds in her throat. A sob escaped her, then she noted: “And I really, really meant it when I said I quit.”

A laugh escaped Nayeon and she wanted to answer, but Jeongyeon wouldn’t let her. Her eyes flicked down to Nayeon’s lips and then up again - and Nayeon still looked at her and bit her lower lip, before slowly wetting it. Jeongyeon stared and then decided - no more fear.

Then she leaned in to kiss her.

Nayeon immediately reached up to grab her by her collar, pulling her close. “You are so slow,” she whispered into the kiss.

Jeongyeon took the opportunity, amidst a surprised squawk from the other girl, to deepen the kiss, her tongue wriggling through. The taste was - something the girl had been drinking before, some sort of soda and something that was quite indescribable. Jeongyeon found it sweet and unique and distinctive and perfect.

“You are so pretty,” Jeongyeon complained amidst kisses and bites and tongues, first against Nayeon’s full lips and then against her throat. “And so hot!” She almost whined, her arms going around her. “And I like it when I can see your collarbone,” she added and true to her word, mouthed her way further downwards to bite down on said collarbone.

Nayeon’s hands clawed into Jeongyeon’s back, craning her head. “And what about - _hahh_ \- what about my smile?”

Jeongyeon reveled in the way she could make Nayeon gasp when she bit down again on her clavicle, before soothing the bite with kisses. “Makes me wanna kiss you every time,” Jeongyeon mumbled against her skin.

Nayeon dragged up her shirt and one of her hands was suddenly on Jeongyeon’s stomach. The other raked down her spine, when Jeongyeon bit her shoulder, her tongue going over the bite mark.

“You are always so annoying,” she grumbled against her throat, pressing a thigh forward, between Nayeon’s.

The woman bit back a groan.

“And you are loud - God, so loud,” she moved the thigh upwards and felt both of Nayeon’s hands dig into her back. Her breathing grew more shallow and quickened, and Jeongyeon decided she wouldn’t let her off the hook. “And sometimes I hear your laughter like two offices away,” she continued and gyrated her hips in a way that made Nayeon cling to her, unable to stand by herself.

Jeongyeon moved to press her forehead against Nayeon’s, watching her closely. Nayeon met her glance through heavy-hooded eyes and slightly parted lips. She pressed her hips forward again, harshly, and they both gasped. One of Nayeon’s hands moved frantically, first up the column of her neck, then to her ear, before holding on to the back of Jeongyeon’s head, desperate to keep herself in place.

“But you are so pretty,” Jeongyeon whined, when Nayeon moved a leg around Jeongyeon’s, and ground on her again. “So, so pretty - and I like you so much!”

“You are an idiot,” Nayeon told her, with so much affection and fondness in her eyes.

“Don’t - care,” Jeongyeon mumbled and could tell that Nayeon wanted to argue, but when Jeongyeon caught her lip between her own and slowly drew it out to let it snap back, she changed her opinion.

“An idiot and a dork.”

Jeongyeon groaned and caught her lips again, the kiss turning hard and wet and needy immediately. She hadn’t planned on defiling the fridge the first time she would get into Nayeon’s pants, but couldn’t bring herself to move away either.

The kiss grew in intensity, as did the white heat just below her navel. She had to do something about it - six years of longing and frustration started to claw their way towards the surface and it was way more than Jeongyeon had anticipated.

She pressed Nayeon against the fridge, her lips against her throat - the perfume, her scent, her warmth, her moan!, the girl writhing against her whimpering, as her hands shoved away Nayeon’s stupid shirt and touched her stomach.

Nayeon curved into her touch, as Jeongyeon dragged blunt nails lower and lower -

“Bed,” the girl against the fridge suddenly rasped.

Jeongyeon, busy dragging her teeth down the front of her throat, froze, dazed.

“What?” She almost didn’t recognize her own voice.

“Bed.” Nayeon’s hands lingered on her shoulders.

Jeongyeon looked at her. The fridge door never looked so inviting - and Nayeon … Nayeon …

Her hair was a mess, her pupils blown wide, her lips red and swollen and she had the loveliest tinge of pink on her cheeks. 

For a moment, she could only gape like an idiot at her - and Nayeon swatted her, embarrassed: “Are you going to change your mind?”

Jeongyeon stared at her, then took her hand and dragged her along.

Nayeon’s laughter was bright and a bit cackling as she followed her, then pulled at her hand.

“Piggyback!”

Jeongyeon snapped back like a rubber band when Nayeon behind her suddenly stopped.

She looked over her shoulder. “Are you being serious right now?”

“I want one,” Nayeon demanded. She tugged at her arm again. “Piggyback!” The pout on her face and Nayeon’s big eyes turned into a smirk. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

Jeongyeon rolled her eyes and crouched down, peeking over her shoulder. “You don’t need to do anything for me.”

“Pfff.” She hopped on, the smirk melting away.

Jeongyeon pretended to stagger under her weight and was the recipient of another swat, as she waddled towards the bedroom.

She set her down onto the bed and when she turned around, Nayeon had already moved backwards, toward the headrest.

The smirk had returned as she knelt and reached around herself to remove her shorts to throw it aside carelessly.

It revealed surprisingly nice - black and lacy - underwear.

“I -” Jeongyeon’s mouth felt dry and she licked her lips absent-mindedly.

The sight made Nayeon’s smirk intensify.

Jeongyeon slowly knelt on the bed and moved forward, as Nayeon made grabby hands for her. “Have you planned this?”

“Are you kidding me? Since you suppressed your desire to bed me -”

“ _Bed you?_ ” Jeongyeon coughed.

“For six years,” Nayeon continued, unimpressed with more insistent grabby hands. “And during your time staying here, so I had to come prepared.” A beat. “All my underwear in this house is this hot.”

Jeongyeon didn’t know what to say and then she knew exactly what to say. “I like you no matter what you are wearing.”

She could see that Nayeon tried not to grin like an idiot, but failed fantastically at doing so. She finally slid over and wrapped her grabby hands and arms around Jeongyeon’s shoulders to impatiently pull her close.

“Prove it,” Nayeon whispered against her lips and Jeongyeon gently pressed her down, down against the mattress.

Jeongyeon had never touched her - not like this, only once kissed her, but there was a Nayeon-shaped hole inside her and when she felt the girl writhe under her ministrations, softly gasp under her hand that mapped every plane of her body, the hole started to slowly fill up.

Nayeon tugged impatiently at her shirt. “Off,” she demanded and when Jeongyeon didn’t sit up quickly enough, she almost tore it in her attempt to remove it.

Nayeon was greedy - and particularly greedy for _her_ , Jeongyeon realized, when the bra followed. It was, for Jeongyeon, the most incredible thing to touch the girl in her arms whenever and however she wished - after swooning over her for six years, and when she did touch her, Nayeon sighed happily, melting, the scratches on Jeongyeon’s back dissipating to fingers holding on to her, digging into her skin.

There was less biting in her kiss when Jeongyeon drew a heart with her index finger on Nayeon’s stomach and then she found the top of Nayeon’s breast and latched on with her mouth, the woman under her turning into warm, heavy wax in her arms.

She clutched her back when Jeongyeon licked and kissed small marks against Nayeon’s front, the whine escaping her cute to Jeongyeon’s ears.

She drew gasps out of the usually so talkative girl, moans and her own name occasionally - and more regularly, when Jeongyeon pressed a thigh between Nayeon’s, parting them.

The girl’s hips bucked up immediately, seeking friction, but Jeongyeon simply kissed her protests away when there wasn’t any.

Something ached pleasantly in Jeongyeon’s chest, when Nayeon wanted her so much and tried and tried again, and whined in embarrassing protest at Jeongyeon’s almost offhanded comment.

“You are so beautiful.”

It made Jeongyeon touch her more, when every little caress, every kiss, every movement of her thigh provoked a reaction as if Nayeon was drowning, pulling Jeongyeon closer.

One hand moved south towards the waistband of Nayeon’s panties - and Nayeon lifted her hips to help remove them and finally kicked them away.

“Okay?”

Nayeon’s head bobbed up and down. “Okay - okay -”

It was a stream of words that drowned in gasps and a moan, when Jeongyeon reached her destination.

Nayeon’s body went rigid - and with a flick of Jeongyeon’s index finger at that bundle of nerves, twitched. Pressing her forehead against the girl’s, she voiced silently: “Good?” And moved her index finger again.

Any answer was wiped away by that singular hand movement. Jeongyeon watched her intently and slowly removed the arm from Nayeon’s eyes as she tried to look away.

“Look at me, it’s okay - you are so pretty,” she whispered and smiled, when Nayeon blushed and tried to evade her eyes.

“Jeongyeon!” she protested, embarrassed.

Jeongyeon smiled. “What?” Knowing she couldn’t resist her - she moved lower, found the entrance and dipped in a finger.

An ‘oh’ escaped Nayeon and a gasp and suddenly the grasp around her tightened, pulling her close, her arms changing position around her to find one where she could feel closest, safest.

Jeongyeon pushed further inside, craning to still look at Nayeon’s face when she threw her head back. Her hips tilted upwards, and Jeongyeon applied gentle pressure to hold her in place.

“It’s okay, I got you,” Jeongyeon whispered, muffling Nayeon’s groan with a kiss to her lips. 

The tip of her index finger disappeared inside, and then she pushed in further, gently, and finally, Jeongyeon started to move her hand. She nosed the spot behind Nayeon’s ear, trying to sooth her when she started to moan. “Try to relax,” she whispered. “It’s all good,” and when Nayeon did relax, she added a second finger, slowly moving and finally curling them - only just.

Nayeon’s hips bucked up violently, impatiently in an uneven rhythm, and Jeongyeon tried to steady her. Nayeon’s arms clamped down on her, crushing her, not letting go - and Jeongyeon knew this kind of clinginess would translate to everything outside the bed as well. 

She nibbled at Nayeon’s ear and flicked her thumb, provoking a hiss and more desperate grinding.

“Again,” Nayeon demanded, her lips tickling against her ear.

“What exactly?” Jeongyeon teased. “This?”

And before Nayeon could whack her, she twitched again - and again. Jeongyeon felt her clamp down around her moving fingers, their rhythm quick and hard. Her own excitement was evident now, but she wanted to give this to the girl she had evaded for so long.

Nayeon’s breath hit her ear, fast and hot, and only sharp sounds escaped her as she chased her release.

Jeongyeon nosed her cheek, pressed her forehead against Nayeon’s, and held her in place, trying to ignore her protesting muscles as she pushed inside, again and again.

“Babe,” she whispered. “I won’t go anywhere ever again - just let go.” She pecked a gentle kiss onto Nayeon’s lips. “You are beautiful.”

And with a sob under Jeongyeon’s skilled hands, she unraveled, twitching and bucking, until she sank weakly into the mattress, completely spent.

Jeongyeon helped her prolong her peak for as long as possible, and when her trembling finally subsided, she pulled the blanket over both of them, raining small kisses over the girl’s face, before finally kissing her once more.

When she tried to move to Nayeon’s side in order to stop herself from crushing her, the girl held her in place. “Stay,” she mumbled weakly.

“I just wanted -”

She shook her head. “No. Stay,” she insisted and Jeongyeon stayed, wrapped around her, one hand in her hair, caressing her softly, as Nayeon breathed, heavily and warm, against her throat.

*

Jeongyeon learned that post-coital Nayeon was clingy, overly affectionate and demanding:

She refused to let go of her, her hand always touching her, helped her get rid of her remaining clothes and then pushed her into the mattress, moving to lay halfway atop of her.

“Give me just a second,” she mumbled tiredly against Jeongyeon’s clavicle.

Jeongyeon let her fingers run through her hair. “It’s okay. Just sleep.”

“Nuh,” Nayeon managed, her eyes fluttering shut. She tried to stay awake, but Jeongyeon knew she wouldn’t be able to. “I want to return - return the favor.”

Jeongyeon eyed her and dropped a kiss against her temple and one atop of her head. She looked flush and spent, like after a particularly demanding workout. It did something to Jeongyeon’s heart, watching her stay awake for her - but it was an uphill battle.

“Return … favor,” Nayeon hummed against her throat, the soft vibrations tickling her and then, the battle was over and she had fallen asleep.

Even like this with her hair a mess and sweat droplets on her forehead, Jeongyeon thought she was perfect.

The warmth of the body next to her finally pulled her towards dreamland as well. She felt fulfilled and happy in a way she hadn’t in years, like she had arrived at a destination she hadn’t known she was travelling towards. Her inner uneasiness had finally passed to make way for a feeling of belonging … to someone.

Her thoughts grew heavy and slow and finally drifted off - her last thoughts were of Nayeon: That she had finally gotten her and that nobody had to run away ever again.

The next morning, she woke up to an empty bed.

It immediately caused a sharp, hot kind of panic to rise in Jeongyeon:

Had she done something wrong? Had Nayeon left?

The thought of Nayeon leaving her impaled her heart with insecurity and fear.

_Not again. Please, not again._

With a start, she threw the blankets to the side, ready to search the house for her, but then …

“She’s in the kitchen, burning scrambled eggs, oh most beautiful person in the world.”

Everything inside Jeongyeon paused and she turned on her heel.

Next to the sliding door, there was a screen in the wall, for the AC and the home automation system. From this screen, Navely smiled happily at her - and when they made eye contact, as much as you can make eye contact with an AI, the cartoon face grinned.

“Hello hotshot. Good morning.”

“Navely!” Jeongyeon took strides towards the screen, her hands left and right to it. “Navely, I - it’s so good to see you!”

The AI assistant giggled. It was a happy kind of sound that reminded Jeongyeon of the giggle of someone else - someone she loved more than anyone else. “I hope you are telling this to the Queen of Mars every day!”

“I am! I mean, I will! I mean - you’ve probably - you know what happened last night, right?”

“I am the security system - of course I know. Well done! I knew you could do it!”

It winked and Jeongyeon wanted to melt into the floor. She tried to tell herself that it was only a bunch of zeros and ones telling her that she had done well in the lovemaking department, but she couldn’t wrestle down her shyness.

“I’d appreciate it,” Navely continued. “If you went to the kitchen before her Majesty burns down the entire house. She is gifted in many things, but cooking is not among them, I’m afraid.”

“On it. And - and thank you for the drive and the cats - and yeah.”

“Anytime, lovely.” The AI winked again, then the screen faded to black.

Jeongyeon got dressed in shorts and a t-shirt and went to look for the genius engineer in the kitchen.

She hadn’t been fast enough though - when she stepped into the kitchen, the eggs had burned down to a sad, black, dry clump and Nayeon sat on one of the barstools, casting them a forlorn glance. “I’ve ordered pizza.” Then she eyed Jeongyeon. “Oh you are already wearing clothing.” She slipped from her seat, clad in a white dress shirt and sauntered over to Jeongyeon, who felt a tingle in her stomach - and elsewhere - at the sight. “How disappointing.”

Jeongyeon tried to change the subject - unsuccessfully so. “First of all, pizza for breakfast? And second, how do you order pizza out here?”

Nayeon’s arms went around Jeongyeon’s neck, the elbows by her ears. The happy sparkle in her eyes mixed with a bright smile and a dangerous twinkle that meant physical, horizontal exertion and made Jeongyeon gulped.

“I have a special arrangement with Myoui Pizza and a Navely drone.” She leaned up, Jeongyeon holding on to her by her hips. The kiss was sweet and slow and deep and oh-so-overwhelming that Jeongyeon, caught thoroughly in it, dipped Nayeon backwards, smiling when she heard her giggle.

“Good morning,” she mumbled against Jeongyeon’s lips.

“Morning,” Jeongyeon whispered back, grinning. “You look good.”

“Oh, do I?” Nayeon asked brightly, her eyes dancing over Jeongyeon’s face. “Do you like my shirt?”

“Yes,” Jeongyeon kissed her again. “Way too much - and I know you are wearing it on purpose.”

“On purpose?” She let one of her hands go to her own chest, acting all wide-eyed and scandalized. “Now why would I wear something like this on purpose?”

“You want to get into my pants,” Jeongyeon said, her face blank.

“Is it working?” Nayeon grinned, lifting an eyebrow.

Jeongyeon reached down to pick her up, side-ways.

“You don’t need that stupid shirt for that.” She was about to carry her back to the bedroom for early morning activities, when Navely’s face popped up on every screen.

Jeongyeon almost dropped her. “Geez! What the hell!”

Nayeon refused to be dropped, her arms holding on to Jeongyeon tighter.

“Your majesty! It’s an emergency call!”

“From whom?”

“Park Jihyo.”

Nayeon groaned and when Jeongyeon set her down, she plopped down on the couch. “What does she want? I’ll take her on the TV.” 

Navely’s face on the TV pulsed once, changed to a loading screen and then to a logo that said:

Im Tech - Internal Video Call. Then the picture changed to Jihyo’s face, her nose the center of it.

“We know where you are! And we are coming for you! Im Nayeon!”

Nayeon groaned. “Good morning to you as well, Jihyo. How did you find out?”

Mina pushed herself carefully into view - two noses now seemingly the center of the screen. “You sent a drone to one of my pizza places. Chaeng put a GPS on it.”

Nayeon narrowed her eyes at them. “I could let it crash.”

A third face - Chaeyoung’s - appeared. “But that would mean no pizza for you.”

They had a silent stare off, then Nayeon said:

“Traitor.”

Chaeyoung blew her a kiss and winked, but didn’t move away.

“Where’s Jeongyeon?” Mina asked, concerned. “Is she alright?”

Jeongyeon moved to stand behind Nayeon - and the couch - and gave a sheepish wave, one hand landing on Nayeon’s shoulder. “Hello, guys.”

“Both of you are clothed and _almost_ presentable.” Jihyo nodded, impressed. “I lost a bet with Sana.”

“That’s only because you called this early,” Nayeon complained and Jeongyeon wanted to hide behind the couch. The hand that suddenly covered hers stopped her from doing so.

“It’s not like that -” she mumbled.

“It’s exactly like that,” Nayeon said. “You are the bearer of bad news, aren’t you?”

“Bearer of bad news as in you own a multi-billion dollar tech company that requires you to make the occasional decision, then yes, I am. Nayeon -”

She was shoved aside by Chaeyoung. “We want to see the house!”

“And the security system!” Dahyun said, suddenly also crowding the screen.

“And the pond with the glass wall,” Chaeyoung said.

Nayeon exchanged a glance with Jeongyeon. “I can’t stop you.”

They all shook their heads simultaneously and Jihyo turned her cellphone around to show the others. It looked like they had gathered at her place, with various sleeping bags and immense amounts of snacks covering most surfaces. It seemed like the aftermath of a movie night.

“No.”

“Not really.”

“Nope.” 

“Hi, you guys! And nope.”

Nayeon sighed. “Alright. Just let us know when you are twenty minutes away.” She shook her head. “And I see you then.”

“No, no, no. Don’t end the call! Nayeon!”

Nayeon stuck her tongue out at Jihyo, then pushed a button on the remote and the screen blanked. She turned to Jeongyeon. “Quick!”

Jeongyeon eyed her, confused and concerned. “Quick what?”

Nayeon took her hand and pulled her away towards the bathroom. “I plan on desecrating every surface in this house before they arrive and we probably have only six hours max.”

“ _Only_ six hours?” Jeongyeon asked, worried, but let herself be dragged along. “But we have the rest of our lives.”

Nayeon stopped on her tracks and turned towards the other woman. “What?” she croaked.

Jeongyeon smiled, happily, the happiest she had ever been and stepped closer, leaning in to whisper three little words into her ear. It did nothing to make Nayeon move. If anything, she froze even more to a statue.

Jeongyeon easily side-stepped her with a kiss to her nose. She aimed for the bathroom and conveniently lost both shorts and t-shirt in the corridor leading up to it.

“Are you coming?”

Jeongyeon watched her short-circuit and rip at her dress shirt, as Nayeon hurried after her - and Jeongyeon caught her halfway and carried her the last bit of the way.

“Do you mean it?” Nayeon asked, her arms around Jeongyeon’s neck, her heels lifted, pressing against her own thighs.

Jeongyeon pretended to groan under the girl’s weight, looking anywhere but her face, as she dragged her into the bathroom to set her down. One arm remained around Nayeon’s midsection, the other reached out to turn on the shower.

Fog was quick to fill the room and Jeongyeon was grateful for it; it masked her blush a bit.

“Do you really think I would say something like this and then take it back?” Nayeon tried to wrestle her into the shower, but Jeongyeon stood there, rooted to the spot, one arm still outstretched to check the water.

“To be honest, I’m surprised you’d say it first at all,” Nayeon said, trying to drag her in.

Jeongyeon easily dodged her attempts and when it was too much for her, she caught her wrist and dipped her backwards. Nayeon’s arms shot forward with a squeal - going around Jeongyeon’s shoulder to prevent herself from falling.

Jeongyeon smirked at her, then leaned in to kiss her - and when Nayeon puckered up her lips to receive the kiss, it never came. Instead Jeongyeon picked her up and Nayeon whacked her shoulder, laughing and complaining at the same time, as Jeongyeon carried her into the shower cabin that was filled with fog.

“Of course I mean it,” Jeongyeon said and just for good measure, she said those three words again.

That day saw many things and a great deal of happiness - and it saw Nayeon later, much later, exhausted and happy, whisper three words back.

Life was good.

Fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Queen of Mars" has come to an end - and what a journey it was. I enjoyed writing it every single moment - even though it grew longer and longer, as usual.
> 
> I want to thank Ten (@makeMeGoTen) to make sense of this last chapter. I started drowning, because it was so big.  
> My very special thanks go out to:  
> threemix.gov, for letting me bother her all the time, Lmar924, for always encouraging me, Maria, my #1 fan, Ninna, for all the Segways, Zyraami for the cheering, @threeyeons, who likes all my stuff over on Twitter, @thurilluwalk for the wonderful fanart and generally for all that you paint and @nosincy, I haven't forgotten to answer. Thanks a ton, guys. <3
> 
> Melonpan Fanatic (@YooJeongOnce), the chapter released soon! ;)  
> @nabongsnajeong, @notyoojeong, @thisisjeongyeon, @jeongiebaby, @yoojeongie_ thanks for reading and this is for you. ;)
> 
> My very special thanks, as usual, to Izzy.
> 
> Come talk to me at Twitter (@barefootnotea) or send me a CC (@curiouscat.qa/barefootnotea). I don't bite.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much to everyone who liked my previous story "The Smile Through The Keyhole". I received so much encouragement, especially when I doubted the story time and again; really thank you so much guys. It helped a lot to finally publish this story.
> 
> Thanks goes out to Isabel. You know why.


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